On June 7th, at the Awaza sport complex, a “Women Leaders’ meeting” commenced as part of the larger United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). The forum, a key component of the Third UN Conference on LLDCs (LLDC3), brought together a diverse group of participants to highlight the essential role of women’s leadership in addressing the unique challenges faced by these nations.
The first part of the meeting featured prominent figures including Mrs. Rabab Fatima, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, and Mrs. M. Gulmanova, as well as a representative from Uzbekistan. Their presence underscored the high-level political support for the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in the implementation of the newly adopted “Awaza Programme of Action.”
The forum’s second part continued with a robust discussion led by Mrs. Oguljahan Atabayeva Wise-President of The Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship and Steani Uganda, along with representatives from women’s organizations of Turkmenistan, the Turkmenistan Parliament (TPU), Qatar, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Youth representatives were also actively involved, ensuring that a wide range of voices and perspectives were heard.
The LLDC3 conference, held from August 4 to 8 in Awaza, Turkmenistan, is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to mobilize international support for the 32 landlocked developing countries. The “Women Leaders’ Forum” is one of several stakeholder events designed to amplify diverse voices and ensure that the “Awaza Programme of Action” is implemented in a way that promotes inclusive and sustainable development for all. This meeting specifically aimed to share best practices, identify actions to amplify women’s opportunities, and enhance networking and partnerships to ensure the success of the new program.
