Ashgabat, 12 April 2022: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Turkmenistan convened a workshop in a hybrid format on the Constitution of Turkmenistan as the guarantor of human rights and freedoms. The event gathered representatives of a number of government agencies including Milli Gengesh, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor`s Office, Judicial system, as well as civil society organizations from Mary, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap velayats and Ashgabat city.

This workshop dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the Constitution Day of Turkmenistan and 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's membership in the United Nations is organized in the framework of the three-year UNDP project: "Assistance in the realization of the National Action Plan of Turkmenistan in the field of human rights for 2021-2025" implemented jointly with the Institute of State, Law, and Democracy of Turkmenistan.

“I would especially like to emphasize that the Constitution of Turkmenistan - the supreme law of the country contains the fundamental principles and concepts of human rights reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”- noted during the meeting Mr. Rovshen Nurmuhammedov, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative in Turkmenistan.

The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the importance of the Constitution for the protection, observance and promotion of human rights, and effective public administration using national and international mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights. During the workshop speakers also presented an overview of modern trends and concepts of human rights education and the role of public associations in ensuring human rights in Turkmenistan. The objectives of the workshop will contribute to the efforts of the country to comply with its international human rights obligations and implementing recommendations of human rights treaty bodies, including the recommendations of the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) within the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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The NHRAP 2021-2025 adopted by the Government in April 2021 aims at strengthening the national system of provision and protection of human rights and liberties in Turkmenistan, implementation of the international obligations of the country in the given area, and the expansion of cooperation with the international organizations in the humanitarian sphere.

UNDP Turkmenistan provides support to the implementation of the NHRAP 2021-2025 in the framework of the project “Assistance in the realization of the National Action Plan of Turkmenistan in the field of human rights for 2021-2025” jointly implemented with the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan. The project will focus on strengthening the national system of protection, promotion, and realization of human rights in Turkmenistan by harmonizing laws and practices in accordance with the country's international human rights obligations.