Ashgabat, 15–30 April 2025 – A series of workshops on the role of an accredited National Human Rights Institution in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals concluded in Ashgabat, as part of activities marking the 2025 International Year of Peace and Trust. The workshops were held in the Dashoguz, Mary, Lebap, and Balkan velayats, as well as in Ashgabat.
The seminars were conducted as part of the joint project between the Ombudsperson’s Office and UNDP in Turkmenistan, titled “Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of the Ombudsperson’s Office.” Participants included representatives from regional branches of military and law enforcement agencies, relevant ministries, regional khyakimliks, boards of lawyers, youth, and women’s organizations, as well as the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan.
The workshop program featured presentations on the legal and practical dimensions of the Ombudsperson’s Office’s cooperation with the Governmental and public institutions, the UN Paris Principles regarding the status of accredited national human rights institutions, and the role of the Ombudsperson’s Office in promoting and protecting human rights in Turkmenistan. It also highlighted the ongoing collaboration between UNDP and the Ombudsperson’s Office. Key topics covered the 2024 Annual Report of the Ombudsperson and the accreditation outcomes with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), with a particular focus on implementing GANHRI’s recommendations for the 2024–2027 period.
The workshops provided an important platform for deepening participants’ understanding of human rights, the principles governing their protection and the evolving role of the Ombudsperson’s Office since its establishment. ///nCa, 2 May 2025 (in cooperation with UNDP Turkmenistan)