Press Release

The Local Committees established for the Youth empowerment Joint Programme in Dashoguz and Lebap velayats

07 February 2022

The first meeting of the Local Committees of the Joint Programme “Empowering and Engaging the youth to mitigate the multi-dimensional threats of the health pandemic” was held today. The UN-Government Joint Programme contributes to the implementation of the Immediate Socio-Economic Response Plan (SERP) to Acute Infectious Disease Pandemic, and is financed by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security.

The Local Committees consists of the representatives of the local government authorities in two pilot regions of the Joint Programme, namely in Dashoguz and Lebap velayats. Based on the Terms of Reference adopted today by the Committee, the structure will also include the assigned national coordinators, local government authorities, public organizations representatives, youth volunteers and other community representatives, who will jointly implement and monitor the ongoing activities.

The 18-month programme aims to build the capacity of the government officials at the local level to implement the SERP in the communities inspired by the human security approach in ways that are people centered, comprehensive, context specific and preventive. In addition, the programme targets the youth in Lebap and Dashoguz regions to build their resilience and make them agents of change in their communities. The programme will integrate the human security as a critical approach to plan in times of crisis using the bottom-up approach and the principle of “leaving no one behind.”

A Youth Reference Group will be established within the framework of this Joint Programme who will work closely with the local authorities in developing and delivering the youth-led community-based initiatives that will combine both protection and empowerment measures to address multi-dimensional risks of the pandemic. The Local Committees will collect and preserve all knowledge and practices developed and gained under the Joint Programme to ensure the sustainability of its results.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Policy of Turkmenistan will be the lead agencies in the programme. Coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other implementing partners are UNICEF, IOM, UNODC and Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Institute for State, Law and Democracy, Office of the Ombudsman, as well as public organizations and local NGOs working with the communities.