Turkmenistan releases first-ever national survey on health and status of a woman in the family

“I congratulate the Government of Turkmenistan on the release of the survey,” said Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan. 

“Reliable and accessible data and statistics on gender equality are key for fully implementing and monitoring progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Evidence suggests that unless we end gender-based violence, many of the Sustainable Development Goals will not be achievable.”

The Health and Status of a Woman in the Family Survey measured physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, as well as controlling behavior within family relations. The findings revealed that one in six women in the country, or 16 per cent, have experienced some form of abuse by an intimate partner, and one in eight, or 12 per cent, have been exposed to physical or sexual violence.

The survey also explores the impact of violence on women’s health and children’s well-being, showing that the experience of abuse in a woman’s life is correlated with an increased prevalence of specific health problems and negative reproductive health outcomes.  

It also found that women who experience domestic violence rarely reach out for help, confirming the 2019 Turkmenistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey finding that a majority of women (58%) accept and justify intimate partner violence. 

The survey data is expected to be used to monitor and accelerate national progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and to identify strategies for the prevention of, and response to, gender-based violence at various levels, in line with the National Action Plan on Gender Equality for 2021-2025. 

Turkmenistan serves as a member of the Commission on the Status of Women this year, and recently submitted its sixth periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Finalizing and releasing the survey data was one of the key recommendations included in the Committee’s Concluding Observations.

The Government of Turkmenistan is expected to develop a roadmap on the prevention of, and response to, gender-based violence. including plans for legislation and for implementing the remaining CEDAW Committee recommendations.   

“UNFPA stands ready to continue its support to the Government to ensure that every woman and every girl in Turkmenistan can live a life free of violence, in line with the global development agenda and the commitment made by Turkmenistan at the 2019 Nairobi Summit,” said Ayna Seyitliyeva, UNFPA Head of Office in Turkmenistan.  

“We will prioritize support for introducing a multisectoral response system to gender-based violence, improving legislation, and promoting enabling gender norms with local communities in partnership with the UN Country Team and international development partners.” 

The survey was funded by the Government and conducted with the support of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, as well as support from the European Union and the British Embassy in Turkmenistan.

The full report in English and Russian is available here: https://turkmenistan.un.org/en/196684-health-and-status-woman-family-turkmenistan