Ashgabat, 16-17 June 2022: The Ombudsperson`s Office participated in a two-day online workshop entitled “Improving Grievance Handling Mechanism in Compliance with Paris Principles” with support of the UNDP in Turkmenistan. The workshop was conducted by international expert, Mr. George Tugushi, former Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia.  

During the workshop Mr. Tugushi presented the specifics, types and methods of handling grievances by discussing in detail the international best practices of the grievance handling process. Mr. Tugushi also identified substantive aspects of the Law of Turkmenistan on Ombudsmen in terms of providing recommendations on making amendments and additions to it for strengthening the grievance handling mechanism.  During the workshop participants discussed complaints-handling methods and types by developing internal regulations for receiving and considering complaints and conducting further trainings for the Ombudsperson`s office staff.

“I would especially like to note that this workshop aimed at presenting the best foreign practices in building a grievance handling mechanism of the Ombudsperson`s Office in compliance with the Paris Principles will provide  significant support to the  Ombudsperson`s Office in filing an application for the accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), as well as strengthen the process of handling grievances that reflects the needs, expectations and rights of complainants in Turkmenistan,”- said Mr. Rovshen Nurmuhammedov, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative in Turkmenistan outlining the objectives of the workshop.

As a result of the workshop Mr. Tugushi provided significant recommendations for the consideration of the Ombudsperson`s Office in Turkmenistan.

This important initiative was conducted with the financial support of the Government of Finland.

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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.