Ashgabat, 15 September 2021: The Office of Ombudsperson for the first time participated virtually as an observer at the 26th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Asia Pacific Forum of the National Human Rights Institutions with the support of the UNDP in Turkmenistan.  

The Annual General Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) is a meeting of Councilors and APF members which serves as an opportunity to review the operation of the APF over the past year and go through several procedures, including the election of officers, the adoption of policies, and the approval of the annual audited accounts. It is also an opportunity to share knowledge and discuss matters of mutual interest between member institutions and to communicate with partners and other interested stakeholders.

Traditionally, Forum Councilors invite representatives of United Nations agencies, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, NHRIs which have applied, or intend to apply for membership in the APF, and relevant stakeholders to attend sections of the meeting as observers.

In the course of the Annual General Meeting the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) provided a brief presentation on the role of NHRIs in applying a human rights-based approach to humanitarian actions, that is a particularly relevant topic given the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

APF is a key international partner in the process of developing the institutional capacity of the Office of the Ombudsperson in Turkmenistan for accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). Next year the Office of Ombudsperson is planning to apply for accreditation by GANHRI with the support of the UNDP in Turkmenistan.

On the 16 September the Office of Ombudsperson will participate virtually at the interactive dialogue held by APF with members of the United Nations Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls on “Women and Girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights in Crisis”.

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The activities are organized in the framework of the project: "Strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ombudsperson’s Office of Turkmenistan" implemented jointly by the UNDP in Turkmenistan and the Office of Ombudsperson in Turkmenistan.

The Project aims to improve the system of protection, promotion and implementation of human rights in Turkmenistan by reforming national legislation in accordance with the human rights international obligations of Turkmenistan and increasing the institutional capacity of the Ombudsperson’s Office.