Ashgabat, March 25, 2026 – The Europe Today: Turkmenistan on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and strengthening the protection of women’s rights during a high-level meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on the implementation of recommendations by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Myahri Byashimova, Vice-Chairperson of the UN CEDAW Committee Marianne Mikko, along with representatives from the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, the Office of the Ombudsperson, relevant ministries and agencies, and international organizations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNFPA.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister Byashimova highlighted Turkmenistan’s continued adherence to its international obligations in the field of women’s rights and gender equality, particularly under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. She noted that the recommendations issued following the constructive dialogue with the CEDAW Committee in February 2024 serve as a practical roadmap for enhancing the national framework for safeguarding women’s rights.
Participants engaged in detailed discussions on concrete measures to implement the CEDAW Committee’s recommendations, improve national mechanisms for the protection of women’s rights, and strengthen inter-agency coordination. Special focus was placed on the Roadmap designed for implementing the recommendations, as well as preparations for the next phase of the National Action Plan on Ensuring Gender Equality for 2026–2030.
The meeting underscored the importance of sustained cooperation with international organizations and the adoption of global best practices to further develop Turkmenistan’s legal and institutional systems, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men across the country.
