On 31 October, in Ashgabat the Ombudsman’s Office of Turkmenistan, in partnership with UNICEF, hosted a weeklong capacity development training to advance its efforts for promoting and protecting children’s rights. The training sessions, held from 26 to 30 October, focused on enhancing practical approaches in child-sensitive case management, complaint handling, and monitoring.
The workshop was facilitated by child rights and social support experts from the Ombudsman Institution of the Republic of Türkiye. The experts shared practical tools, standard operating procedures, and best practices to help strengthen Turkmenistan’s child protection system. Participants discussed how to make complaint mechanisms more child-friendly and accessible, ensure confidentiality, and promote intersectoral cooperation in responding to child rights violations.
“This training is a significant outcome of the partnership between the Ombudsman institutions of Turkmenistan and Türkiye, which was established during the Turkmenistan Ombudsman’s study visit to Türkiye in May 2025, organized with UNICEF’s support. We will continue to prioritize knowledge exchange among duty bearers to ensure that every child’s rights are effectively protected and promoted,” said Maaike Bijker, Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF in Turkmenistan.
The training also featured a dedicated session for social workers of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Turkmenistan- frontline professionals who provide essential services to the most vulnerable children and families. They discussed their vital role in identifying, referring, and supporting children in need of protection and care, highlighting both the daily challenges social workers face and the impact they make when equipped with the right tools and partnerships. Participants emphasized that close collaboration between the Ombudsman’s Office and social protection services is key to ensuring every child grows up safe, supported, and heard.
“This initiative marks an important step in strengthening Turkmenistan’s child protection system and enhancing our ability to safeguard the rights of every child. By learning from the experiences and best practices of our colleagues in Türkiye and establishing close cooperation with social workers and other partners, we are better equipped to ensure that complaint mechanisms are accessible, child-friendly, and effective. Collaboration and knowledge exchange are key to protecting children and responding to their needs, and we remain committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where every child can thrive,” said Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, Ombudsman of Turkmenistan.
UNICEF will continue its commitment to support Turkmenistan in fulfilling its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, implementing the National Action Plan for Realization of Children’s Rights in Turkmenistan for 2023-2028, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal priorities. This includes strengthening child protection systems, building the capacity of key institutions, and promoting knowledge exchange and evidence-based practices to ensure that every child in Turkmenistan can grow up safe, protected, and empowered.
