ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, 17 March 2026 — The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Turkmenistan held a two-day workshop on 16–17 March 2026 to review the outcomes of the volunteer programme and plan future activities aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and gender equality among youth.
The volunteer programme aims to foster a culture of physical education in accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan “On Physical Culture and Sports,” as well as to engage young men and boys in promoting respectful relationships within the family. The two-days event was organized jointly with the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and Sports within the framework of the 2026–2027 Joint Work Plan.
During the meeting held at the UN Building in Ashgabat, volunteers and coaches from the five velayats and Ashgabat city presented detailed reports on the results of their work in each city over the past period. Participants analyzed the contribution of the volunteer movement to changing negative social norms that lead to inequality and assessed the effectiveness of integrating healthy lifestyle topics into the sports environment.
Special attention was given to interactive sessions focused on identifying challenges and barriers faced by volunteers during regional training. Based on this experience, participants developed new approaches to promoting a culture of equal opportunities and mutual respect, and prepared action plans for 2026. These initiatives are aimed at further involving young men in gender equality issues. ///nCa, 17 March 2026 (in cooperation with UNFPA Turkmenistan)