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30 June 2022
COMMUNITY BASED SOCIAL SERVICES JOINT PROGRAMME: SUMMING UP RESULTS AND THE WAY FORWARD
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30 June 2022
A Coordinated Response to Coronavirus
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Press Release
24 June 2022
Training of Turkmen specialists on greenhouse gas inventory and reporting rules under the Paris Agreement
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Turkmenistan
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Turkmenistan:
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19 May 2020
Coronavirus global outbreak
Everyone is talking about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Take part in getting your facts from reliable sources.

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13 March 2020
A Coordinated Response to Coronavirus
On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized the coronavirus (COVID-19) viral disease a pandemic, but it is a pandemic that can be controlled. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the UN agency, said, in his statement, “Let me be clear: describing this as a pandemic does not mean that countries should give up.”
The UN Secretary-General urged all countries to take a comprehensive approach tailored to their circumstances – with containment as the central pillar. COVID-19 is affecting thousands of people, impacting countries’ health systems and having widespread social and economic effects. The UN entities working on development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, are supporting countries in their preparedness and response plans.
This page convenes sources of information and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) regarding the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
WHO is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to track the spread and to provide guidance to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.
To stay up to date with the latest information, please visit:
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Latest news on the United Nations’ response: https://news.un.org/en/events/un-news-coverage-coronavirus-outbreak
WHO guidance for countries: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd
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29 June 2022
UNODC and Partners Join Efforts To Introduce Innovative Approaches To Countering Trafficking In Persons In Private Sector of Turkmenistan
Most companies are becoming more accommodating to the growing global demand for low-cost goods and even cheaper services. And as we well know, demand creates supply. All this, in the end, can lead to situations related to exploitation.
To exchange opinions and find best solution for the private sector engagement into the fight against human trafficking, the UNODC together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Safe Migration in Central Asia programme in Turkmenistan conducted a workshop on “Best practices on prevention of trafficking in persons in private sector and supply chains and importance of compliance with social, corporate and labor standards in private sector and its impact on export”.
Over 29 representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, the Office of the Ombudsman of Turkmenistan, “Turkmenstandartlary” Main State Service, as well as representatives of private companies in the field of consultancy, agriculture and construction discussed the implementation of the policies on TIP prevention, labour norms and human rights. Participants learned international and regional experience and practices, and shared examples of successful and innovative approaches to prevent labor violations regionally and globally.
Dr. Reda Sirgediene, UNODC Regional Adviser for Central Asia on Countering Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, familiarized the participants with the promising practices of public-private partnerships to prevent and counter Trafficking in Persons.
Ms. Saara Haapasaari, an international Corporate and Social Responsibility expert, presented the Due Diligence Manual for Companies developed by the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI) in Helsinki, Finland, the Center for the Study of Democracy from Bulgaria, the University of Tartu from Estonia and the Ministry of the Interior of Latvia.
The representative of the Office of the Ombudsman of Turkmenistan presented the Norms of national labor legislation and the importance of their observance to prevent the situations of forced labor and TIP.
The workshop participants came into conclusion that the private sector plays a key role in combating trafficking in persons, along with government and public organizations. They agreed that a holistic, coordinated and multilateral effort that encompasses all regions and industries is required to fight this crime.
As the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its complementary Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, UNODC supports the Government of Turkmenistan in strengthening its efforts to combat trafficking in persons.
The workshop was a part of the joint initiative of UNODC and USAID “Safe Migration in Central Asia” programme aimed at improvement of existing legislation in the field of combating trafficking in persons and finalization of the Standard Operating Procedures for relevant departments and organizations to effectively operate the Referral Mechanism in Turkmenistan.
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Story
29 June 2022
UNODC and Partners in Turkmenistan Discuss Latest Developments in Legislation Reforms on Combating Trafficking in Persons
However, this crime is widespread and thrives particularly in situations where the rule of law is weak and criminal justice systems ineffective.
“Most countries, including Turkmenistan, already have the necessary anti-trafficking laws in place, but their continuous improvement and alignment with the provisions of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime are of fundamental importance in identifying victims and ensuring that they have access to the protection and services they need, and in bringing transnational criminal groups to justice”, said Mr. Koen Marquering, International Programme Coordinator at UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia.
UNODC in 2018 conducted a Legal Analysis of the Turkmenistan Legislation on countering trafficking in personsThe recommendations from this analysis were discussed during the second workshop on Strengthening national policies on trafficking in persons” held on 26 to 27 May in Turkmenistan.
The workshop engaged 21 experts in the field representing the Government and NGOs of Turkmenistan who were introduced to latest developments in legislation reforms in the area of countering trafficking in persons in EU and CIS countries. Along with UNODC-developed Legal Analysis, the proposals prepared by international and national experts to improve Turkmen legislation and the possibility to adapt and integrate the provided recommendations into relevant laws and decrees were carefully reviewed.
National and international experts shared best practices on the development of victim identification and support policy and procedures, and sources of funding for national referral mechanisms, with a particular focus on a victim-centered approach that could be applicable to the Turkmenistan context.
The participants were familiarized with the experience of Uzbekistan on Reform of countering trafficking in persons Legislation in Practice: Standard Operating Procedures for National Referral Mechanisms; Sources of funding for the National referral mechanism and Best Practices of Collaboration between State Agencies and the Civil Sector in countering TIP; and experience of Kazakhstan in strengthening state and CSOs cooperation in their efforts to prevent Trafficking in Persons.
“It is very important to understand that the fight against human trafficking brings us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, the fight against organized crime and the elimination of forced labor, abuse, exploitation and violence against children. Fighting this global problem means building a society in which no one is left behind”, concluded Mr. Koen Marquering.
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25 April 2022
Turkmen Social Media Influencer motivates people towards sustainability
She worked, had fun with friends and like many others, did not think about how her seemingly ordinary lifestyle contributes to the pollution of nature.
Everything changed after her participation in the eco-challenge, which took place in Turkmenistan: “I learned a lot about climate change and how it threatens human health and the future of our planet” says Gulnara. “I started learning how to live an environmentally friendly life and tried to encourage others towards sustainability. I realized that all my peers also know very little about environmental issues.”
It was then that Gulnara came up with a brilliant idea – to open a blog on her social media account to raise public awareness and encourage behavioral change in favor of the planet.
Today, Gulnara Tayjanova is the first ever and the only eco-blogger of Turkmenistan. As a prominent social media influencer, Gulnara has done a lot to promote behavioural change in local communities by providing guidance on living with less waste. Gulnara is also a founder of an online Eco-Market, which serves as platform for marketing eco-friendly products and thus supporting the growth of 'green' businesses in the country.
“I am your guide towards ecological lifestyle. I'll tell you where and what is recycled” Gulnara’s biography says on her Instagram account. “I am the one who cares”.
This inspiring introduction to Gulnara’s social media account called “Nature’s helper” resulted in an increase of her subscribers’ interest in environmental issues and quickly turned Gulnara’s social network into a platform for sharing knowledge about the current state of the climate and discussing the most important environmental challenges facing humanity.
On her Instagram account, Gulnara talks about different environmental problems and highlights simple tips that everyone can follow to become more sustainable.
“In my blog, I talk in simple words about what environmental problems exist and how each of us can help to save the planet. Using my personal example, I show how to reduce the amount of waste, how to sort them at home, inform about where to carry them and what they are then recycled into,” – says Gulnara. “I see that my followers demonstrate their willingness to be engaged and take actions towards becoming greener. My role is to help and show them the way how they can do it”.
Gulnara’s role in promoting behavioural change towards a sustainable future has made her a role model for youth eco-activists, who have become her active followers. Her openness and dedication have made her an influential eco-activist, to whom people listen and follow. Like any other influencer to have comprehensive situation awareness and possess the most verified information, Gulnara relies on international experience and actively works with experts.
Two years ago, Gulnara began to actively participate in the activities related to sustainable waste management within the UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan project "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Avaza”, funded by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF).
The project is aimed at promoting the development of sustainable cities and reducing the negative impacts of urban growth in the country, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, impact of increasing energy consumption and household waste, as part of the country’s efforts to achieve the socio-economic development goals. The project provides technical assistance, institutional and policy support, and promotes behavioral change in relation to efficient use of resources and waste management covering Ashgabat and Avaza, as well as creates a basis for replicating the results in other cities of the country.
Gulnara often visits a local waste sorting and recycling enterprises to inform her followers know that Turkmenistan has a waste management system, which is expanding and improving as a result of UNDP pilot activities.
“People should know that we do have a recycling and even a waste collection points, which appeared recently with the support of UNDP project on Sustainable cities.”
To find answers to her subscribers’ questions, this year Gulnara organized an interview with the UNDP Project specialists to tell readers about the national system of waste management being introduced with the assistance of UNDP and the Nature protection Society of Turkmenistan. This interview video was posted on Gulnara’s and UNDP Turkmenistan social media channels and sparked active discussions among the public on rational consumption and a sustainable lifestyle.
Moreover, Gulnara acted as a co-organizer of an informal conversation with young eco-activists, hosted by UNDP Turkmenistan in February this year to raise climate change awareness and engage youth in eco-friendly initiatives.
With the support of Gulnara and other meeting participants, the event was accompanied by active discussions and social media content creation aimed at raising public awareness on UNDP’s mandate and goals, as well as stimulatingdiscussions on sustainability-oriented behavioral change among the local population.
“The behavior of each of us matters and adds value to the climate change action” – noted Gulnara at the meeting.
The event was part of the UNDP series of informal conversations with youth to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to a more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions.
“Such innovative initiatives help people understand the impact of human-caused pollution on human and ecosystem health and contribute to further discussions of how behavioral change towards a sustainable lifestyle can reduce the problem,” – says Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan.
During the meeting of UNDP with young eco-activists Gulnara made a number of valuable suggestions to increase youth engagement in the efforts of UNDP, including the initiation of a project on homeless animals.
The human attitude towards animals is actually one of the main topics of Gulnara’s Instagram blog.
“My love of animals might have come from my mother. When I was a child, my mother did not pass by any homeless animal, she tried to cure and feed them, and she still does this.”
Gulnara often goes to shelters for homeless animals to tell later their sad stories to her subscribers and make them show care “I explain that it is not necessary to buy purebred kittens or puppies, there are many mongrels in the shelter, worthy of our attention, love and care.”
Gulnara’s media account, which she started as a blog to provide tips and recommendations on environmental issues, has now turned into something more - a social platform for promotion of healthy lifestyle and knowledge sharing, a call for actions and change. Gulnara’s efforts to promote change towards a sustainable future made her a role model for other young people.
“By my personal example I demonstrate how each of us can make a difference by reducing our carbon footprint. I stand ready to support my followers in their obligatory path to a life without waste.”
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Story
05 April 2022
Joining forces to tackle the impact of climate change in Turkmenistan
“Making Peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century” said the UN Secretary-General as he called on the global community to take collective steps towards a safer, more sustainable and equitable path, with the Paris Agreement on climate change as a blueprint.
As always, the UN team in Turkmenistan stepped up and responded to the call of the UN chief.
It’s worth noting, that Turkmenistan was the first country in the Europe and Central Asia region to adopt national Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. For us as a UN country team, this means continuing to support our national partners, catalyzing knowledge and infusing innovative solutions into our work to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Under my leadership, the UN Country Team acted swiftly to offer a comprehensive and well-coordinated support to Turkmenistan in scaling up climate action and in supporting the country’s initiatives on ensuring environmental sustainability.
Several UN agencies, including FAO, UNDP, UNICEF and WHO, continued their strong collaboration with the Government on the climate change agenda. We also sought to boost the engagement of other UN entities, organizing activities to identify new opportunities for collaboration with the Government.
This reinvigorated engagement fittingly occurred on the eve of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference(COP26) in Glasgow and paved the way for more strategic partnerships and engagement with a wider national audience on climate change issues.
Among them is the establishment of a Climate Change Coordination Group supported by my office. Another is the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UN and the Government of Turkmenistan, the key outcome of a National Youth Conference that we supported on the role of youth in contributing to the climate change agenda.
This MoU marks a significant milestone for Turkmenistan, a landlocked country with a large extractive industry that could be increasingly vulnerable to the impact of climate change without an adjustment. While leveraging stronger cooperation with the Government, this agreement could therefore boost national ambition for climate action to mitigate issues that could arise in the future.
It establishes a platform to support national initiatives as well, including the formulation of a national low emission development strategy and action plan, the national action plan on the Aral Sea, the national climate change strategy and the on-going formulation of Turkmenistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions.
Overall, the MoU further activates UN support, promoting investments in green initiatives and supporting access to international climate financing. It could inspire communities into becoming more engaged, progressively mobilizing to sustain on-going climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
We are full of hope about the future. The carbon footprint of the manufacturing sector in Turkmenistan has been steadily decreasing in recent years. The country is restoring forests and improving land use to mitigate the impact of climate change. And young people are more committed than ever to play an important role in building sustainable, resilient communities.
Leyli Yagshieva, an SDG 13 Young Ambassador who represented Turkmenistan at a Pre-COP26 Youth4Climate Event in Italy most eloquently captured this inspiring outlook towards the future when she said “We, young leaders, believe that our future can be bright and sustainable. The world relies on us, so let's bring our [creativity to tackle climate change] together, here and now!”
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Press Release
30 June 2022
COMMUNITY BASED SOCIAL SERVICES JOINT PROGRAMME: SUMMING UP RESULTS AND THE WAY FORWARD
At the opening of the meeting, attended by representatives of the leading partner ministries, national entities as well as the heads and representatives of the participating UN agencies, Mr. Muhammetseyit Sylapov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Turkmenistan, Mr. Gurbanmyrat Ashyrov, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the National Assembly of Turkmenistan and Mr. Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator, highlighted the importance and catalytic value of the joint programme.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population presented the overview of the main results achieved in two years of its implementation and the progress made in the design of the National Plan for the development of the system of social services in Turkmenistan for 2022-2030.
The participants were also introduced to the data derived from the analytical etrap worker and specialized services assessments report as well as to the results of socio-economic analysis. The main conclusion was that the new service model focused directly on the needs of the individual in terms of living in society, social integration, maximum independence, maintaining family ties and protecting the rights of users. This has contributed to the introduction of a new concept of social services and helps in the transition from the medical to the social model of service delivery. It also helps establish approaches focused on comprehensive support for and maintaining the integrity of the family, as presented in the new Law on Social Services.
Finally, the participants discussed the next steps to ensure the sustainability of the Joint Programme. The following suggestions were discussed for consideration:
• to open the position of a social worker in each etrap of the country in order to increase the efficiency of the work of social workers at the etrap level;
• the gradual deployment of primary and specialized social services in all regions of the country that will help strengthen the social protection system by providing targeted support to persons with disabilities, large families, single elderly people, children left without parental care, women exposed to gender violence, young people at risk and other vulnerable groups;
• to involve non-government social service providers and to consider the introduction of the state social contracting mechanism to meet the needs of all those in need of specialized services at the regional and local levels,
• to launch a new specialty in the area of social work at the undergraduate level, as well as short-term courses for continuous professional development of social work specialists.
The Joint Programme “Improving the system of social protection through the introduction of inclusive quality community-based social services”, funded by the Joint SDG Fund, is being implemented by the partnering UN agencies, namely, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNODC and Government of Turkmenistan. The Joint Programme aims to introduce a new model of social services at the community level accompanied by relative legislative reviews and capacity building of national social service workforce. The lead national partner is the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Turkmenistan and the lead UN agency is UNICEF. Other key national partners include Mejlis, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, and Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan.
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Press Release
28 June 2022
Training of Turkmen specialists on greenhouse gas inventory and reporting rules under the Paris Agreement
The international experts presented the methodological tool for calculations and reporting by countries. This guidance is in line with the decisions adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2006), mandatory for the preparation of national inventories by Parties.
The training was designed for the participation of technical experts from Turkmenistan who are involved in the development of the national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and for specialists developing national emission monitoring, reporting and verification systems.
The methodological guide of the training facilitates the search for information, the selection of appropriate approaches and the preparation of reports on five sectors including energy, industrial processes and product use, agriculture, land use and forestry and waste. Additionally, attention was focused on the difficulties that arise in the course of calculations for a particular category, the most common errors, and typical comments from inspectors.
The participants represented the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics, State concern "Turkmengas", State concern "Turkmenneft", Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Industry and Construction Production of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Textile Industry of Turkmenistan, State concern "Turkmenhimiya", Agency "Turkmenavtoulaglary", Agency "Turkmenhowayollary", State Committee of Turkmenistan for Water Management, Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan and Khyakimlik of the city of Ashgabat.
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The Glasgow Climate Pact, adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in November 2021 (COP26), recognizes that “limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires rapid, deep and sustainable reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, including reductions in global emissions carbon dioxide by 45% by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, and achieve carbon neutrality by about mid-century, as well as significant reductions in other greenhouse gases”.
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Press Release
01 July 2022
Expanding the partnership to promote coordination and cooperation between state and CSO service providers
The meeting was held within the framework of the Joint Program on “Improving the system of social protection through the introduction of inclusive quality community-based social services”, between Government of Turkmenistan and UN. It brought together 50 representatives of state organizations, civil society, private sector, and international community.
The aim of the meeting was to create a space to inform governmental and non-governmental service providers about the national progress to make transformative changes in the current system of social service delivery in Turkmenistan and establish collaboration among social work specialists and civil society organizations (CSOs) to further introduce specialized services and their expansion to other regions of the country where they are not currently available.
Along with the MLSP officials, there were a number of presentations from the leading CSOs and social enterprises. The international experience on cooperation between state social service providers and NGOs was presented by the SDG Fund Joint Programme Chief Technical Advisor Ms. Joanna Rodgers. As the international expert noted,
“Governments need the Civil Society organizations and Organizations of people with disabilities (DPOs) at all levels in order to reach people who are the most excluded, vulnerable and in need of support. To give them voice, mobilise resources, and to ensure that a full range of social services are developing that can meet a range of needs and social challenges”
During the seminar, international speakers and their Turkmen colleagues considered how to accelerate and expand activities to promote sustainable cooperation in the provision of social support. The participants deliberated on necessary national policies and their effective implementation; shared experience and best practices; and provided examples of successful and innovative approaches to strengthening cooperation.
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Press Release
24 June 2022
Progress in SDG implementation is reviewed in Turkmenistan
The participants at the level of Deputy Ministers and experts of line ministries were introduced to Turkmenistan’s ranking in the international SDG data bases and to the results of the 2022 national SDG midterm review, including the gap analysis and recommendations. These were presented by Mr. Marjan Petreski, an international consultant, who highlighted that Turkmenistan could easily be ranked higher if data on indicators were openly available. There is still a lot of work to do to ensure availability of baselines and targets, more active reporting to global databases, and increase the capacity of ministries and departments for high-quality reporting on the SDGs.
“Only reliable and, most importantly, accessible data can effectively track progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. The availability of reliable data is an important prerequisite for understanding the impact of external shocks, including the global pandemic, military conflict in Eastern Europe, on the macroeconomic situation, as well as on various population groups. It will also help understand the causes of existing vulnerabilities so that targeted measures are taken to ensure that no one is left behind,” noted the Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.
The State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan reported on the stages of operationalization of the National SDG database, including gradual transition to the online version. The national SDG database functions as a convenient tool for collecting and monitoring data and evaluating results for planning and tracking progress towards the achievement of the SDGs.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy presented the Annual Report of the Joint UN-Government Expert Group on SDG Financing 2021 and also the changes to the national SDG matrix. He also noted the country's commitment to improving SDG financing and the successful work of the Joint UN-Government Expert Group on SDG Financing towards establishment of the Integrated National Financing Framework. One of the steps in this process will be the Development Finance Assessment, being currently carried out with support of UNDP experts, the Joint Experts Group and the Office of the Resident Coordinator.
In the course of the meeting, the members of the national SDG Working Group supported the proposal to create a National Action Plan for the development of nationalized SDG indicators, for which Turkmenistan does not submit reporting to global databases. This Plan should outline specific activities for each national indicator, as well as indicate the responsible national departments. It can be implemented within 1-3 years depending on the complexity of the indicator methodology.
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Press Release
01 July 2022
IOM organized a practical seminar for the national partners on measuring the SDG indicator 10.7.2 on countries with well-managed migration policies
This workshop was conducted within the framework of the project "Building national capacity to collect, analyze and use migration statistics for the national development plans in Turkmenistan”, funded by the IOM Development Fund (IDF). Objective of the workshop was to share with methodology and measurement of the indicator 10.7.2. which calls on countries to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies - the most explicit migration related target of the 2030 Agenda.
International expert Sergey Ryazantsev together with national partners studied six domains and proxy measures for SDG indicator 10.7.2, together with national partners discussed each domain, and related questions with five subcategories. Expert explained the methodology and computational method, and together with participants calculated the coding values and scope of the proposed indicators.
Following these presentation national partners marked the importance of the agenda and the close partnership between IOM and the Government of Turkmenistan. National stakeholders commented that gained knowledge and skills would be applied in migration policies to achieve national priorities and to fulfil international commitments including the 2030 Agenda and the GCM reporting.
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