Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 11 March 2026 — A two-day consultative workshop on the prevention of domestic violence and working with men who use violence against women took place in Ashgabat on March 10-11, 2026. The event was organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Office in Turkmenistan within the 2026-2027 joint work plan with the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan. The workshop was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and public organizations. The sessions were conducted by UNFPA international consultant Ms. Lori Mann, who has more than 20 years of professional experience and specializes in international human rights law, combating gender-based violence (GBV), and discrimination in various regions of the world.
During the consultative workshop, participants discussed international and national legal frameworks for the protection of women’s rights, as well as multi-sectoral response (MSR) mechanisms to ensure the safety of survivors. Particular attention was paid to specialized correctional programmes for men who use violence in the family. These programmes are aimed at changing behavior and reducing the risk of repeated domestic violence. Participants also discussed opportunities for cooperation between law enforcement agencies and social services in monitoring the situation and implementing integrated approaches to strengthening families and promoting equality between men and women in the family.
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Ms. Lori Mann Ms. Mann holds a doctoral degree in Law from Columbia Law School and has collaborated with the UN, OSCE, and the Council of Europe, developing training programmes for law enforcement agencies and systems for working with perpetrators worldwide. Ms. Mann also has experience in Turkmenistan, including providing expert support for the development of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality (NAPGE) for 2026–2030. During her current mission, she provided technical assistance in developing a model perpetrator programme for those prone to committing domestic violence. ///nCa, 12 March 2026 (in cooperation with UNFPA Turkmenistan)