Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 12
By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend
A high-level roundtable discussion of the implementation of the new ombudsman law in Turkmenistan, effective from January 1, 2017, and of international standards, guidelines and good practices in establishing and strengthening national human rights institutions took place in
Ashgabat, the OSCE said in a message.
The newly-elected Turkmen Ombudsman and representatives of the Mejlis (parliament), the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan and other relevant state bodies participated in the event.
“The establishment of the Ombudsman institution marks an important step in strengthening democratic principles in Turkmenistan,” said Akja Nurberdiyeva, Chairperson of Turkmenistan’s Mejlis. “Today’s event will facilitate the exchange of best practices in the area of establishing and functioning of the Institute of Ombudsperson, which, in its turn, will contribute to the implementation of human rights standards Turkmenistan is committed to.”
The participants discussed the new national legal framework and international standards and guidelines for national human rights institutions, as set by the UN Paris and Belgrade Principles.
The participants also exchanged views on the role of ombudsperson in protecting the rights of children, women and people with disabilities. An international expert from Finland invited by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat shared good practices from the OSCE region.
“The support of the OSCE in establishing and strengthening national human rights institutions is important for all of the Organization’s 57 participating States, since the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is central to its comprehensive concept of security,” said Ambassador Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
The discussion was co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Turkmenistan and the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner.