Reviewing the progress made within the Joint Programme on Empowering and Engaging Youth in Mitigating the Threats of the Health Pandemic

The Steering Committee meeting was chaired by Mr. Parahat Agayev, Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Policy of Turkmenistan, and Mr. Chary Nurmuhammedov, UN Resident Coordinator Office Team Leader in Turkmenistan. The Joint Programme is supported by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNHSTF) with implementation period of August 1, 2021 – January 31, 2023.

The members of the Steering Committee - implementing partners from the national ministries and organizations and UN Agencies reported the current progress, discussed the opportunities, and agreed on the next steps for 2022.

It was noted by speakers that focus on human security ensures that the vulnerable groups of people, who are most exposed to risks of pandemic, are at the center of this initiative, their voices are heard and their most pressing needs and vulnerabilities are taken into account. Empowerment and participation of young people in this process represents an important opportunity to strengthen the country's progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, increase the resilience of local communities in Dashoguz and Lebap velayats, as well as contribute to the effective and sustainable implementation of measures related to the socio-economic response to the pandemic.

The Joint Programme aims to empower and engage youth in Lebap and Dashoguz regions by planning, designing and implementing four community initiatives together with representatives of state and public organizations in these regions. The initiatives will integrate the human security approach and focus on insecurities of the most vulnerable groups of people in Lebap and Dashoguz velayats, in line with the principle of “leaving no one behind”.

In addition, the 18-month Joint Programme aims to build the capacity of the government officials at the national and regional levels to apply the human security approach in risk analysis and development of a multi-dimensional response to the global pandemic. Using a multi-sectoral approach, the Joint Programme develops a holistic set of interventions that are people-centered, comprehensive, context specific and prevention oriented using the bottom-up approach.

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Policy of Turkmenistan are the lead agencies in the Joint Programme. Coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office, other implementing partners are: UNICEF, IOM, UNODC on behalf of the UN and Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Healthcare and Medical Industry, including local government authorities from Lebap, Mary, Akhal, Dashoguz and Balkan velayats on behalf of the Government of Turkmenistan. The Joint Programme is also supported by the Youth Organization named after Magtumkuli, Women’s Union of Turkmenistan as well as public organizations and local NGOs working with the communities. 

Contact information

Nataliya Chemayeva

Joint Programme Manager, UNFPA

Email to: chemayeva@unfpa.org