Press Release

Roundtable on Disability Inclusion through Partnership Held in Ashgabat

10 November 2025

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – 11 November 2025 – A high-level roundtable titled “Inclusion through Partnership: Advancing Legislation and Policy with and for Persons with Disabilities” took place today at the Yyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat. The event organized by the Regional Office for Central Asia of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (ROCA OHCHR) and UNICEF with the support of UN Resident Coordinator’s Office brought together more than 50 government representatives, UN agencies, civil society organizations supporting persons with disabilities, development partners, and international experts to strengthen collaboration for disability-inclusive development in Turkmenistan.

The roundtable was opened by Mahri Bashimova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan; and Jalpa Ratna, UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan. In their remarks, speakers reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s commitment to the implementation of UPR recommendations (2023), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasizing the principle of Leave No One Behind.

“Today’s dialogue is a vital step toward translating commitments into tangible outcomes. Together—Government, UN agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities, and development partners— can build an inclusive society where everyone enjoys dignity, opportunity, and rights,” noted Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.

The event featured contributions from experts such as Markus Schäfer, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (via online address), Pavlo Byalyk, OHCHR Regional UPR Advisor for Central Asia, as well as Dilmurad Yusupov and Janina Arsenjeva, the international consultants on inclusion. The highlight of the roundtable was presentation of the work and experiences of the national civil society organization Special Olympics, Center for support for people with disabilities, Central Physical Sport-Club of persons with disabilities, Bead and Blind Society and Yenme.

“Here in Turkmenistan, this vision is coming to life through our joint efforts: expanding inclusive education, strengthening disability-inclusive health and social services, and promoting inclusion through community engagement and sport”, stressed Jalpa Ratna, UNICEF Representative.

Participants were briefed on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations supported by the Government related to the rights of persons with disabilities and discussed next steps for developing a comprehensive national strategy on disability inclusion.

“Many countries around the world have ratified the CRPD, but ratification alone is only the first step. What truly matters is translating those commitments into national reality through legislative reform, comprehensive strategies, and concrete action plans. Turkmenistan’s ongoing efforts to review its laws and develop implementation measures as part of its UPR commitments are commendable and demonstrate a genuine dedication to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in line with international standards”, noted Dr. Sheffer.

The roundtable aligns with Turkmenistan’s commitments under the newly adopted UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2026–2030), which prioritizes disability inclusion across all sectors.