ASHGABAT, 15 October 2026 – Last week UNICEF and national partners marked the completion of a three-month campaign that piloted parenting support groups in Ashgabat and Dashoguz, generating practical lessons to strengthen family support services and guide the next phase of implementation.
The initiative began during Parenting Month in June, when UNICEF and the Charity Fund for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov launched a social media campaign sharing practical advice with parents on positive parenting, children’s wellbeing and inclusive play. It then expanded into a three-month pilot that equipped parents and caregivers with practical knowledge on positive parenting, child development, stress management and non-violent discipline, while building the capacity of frontline professionals to facilitate structured support sessions. The initiative combined professional training, group sessions for parents and social media outreach promoting supportive parenting practices.
At the closing meeting, participants reviewed feedback from parents and facilitators and identified the approaches that helped caregivers reflect on familiar responses, practise different approaches and feel supported by other parents. The discussion also identified practical options for delivering parenting support through accessible community settings, including schools, primary healthcare facilities and social centres.
“This pilot has generated practical lessons on how parents can be supported to reflect on familiar reactions, try new approaches and benefit from the experience of other parents,” said Zhanar Sagimbayeva, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Turkmenistan. “Together with our national partners, we will use these findings to strengthen the model, support facilitators and develop a clear roadmap for the next stage.”
The pilot was implemented with the participation of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Women’s Union of Turkmenistan and UNICEF. Trained professionals delivered the sessions and collected feedback from participating parents, creating an evidence base to inform improvements to the model.
Based on the review, partners agreed on concrete next steps: refine the parenting support model using lessons from the pilot, strengthen guidance and follow-up for facilitators, and develop a roadmap for the next phase of implementation. The findings will also inform UNICEF’s work under the Country Programme for 2026–2030 and support national efforts to strengthen family services and prevent violence against children.
UNICEF expresses its appreciation to the professionals, facilitators, parents and partner institutions whose participation made it possible to test the approach in practice. ///nCa, 15 October 2026 (in cooperation with UNICEF Turkmenistan)