Presentation of the UNFPA Global Report Population of the World in 2017 took place in Ashgabat

Representatives of the Mejlis, the Turkmen National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan, the National Institute of Education, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the public organizations, specialists from several ministries and departments, teachers and students of the institutes of higher education and mass media members attended the event organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

The special emphasis in the report was placed on protecting the reproductive health and women’s rights in accordance with the Global Agenda 2030, the fundamental principle of which is: “no one must be forgotten”. 

In the welcoming address to the meeting participants, UN Resident Coordinator, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Turkmenistan Elena Panova noted that the UNFPA strategic course fully contributes to the achievement of the sustainable development goals, in particular, the maintenance of human health and wellbeing, the movement towards gender equality, and thereby, to improving the living conditions of women, adolescents and young people. 

The participants stressed that one of priorities of the state policy of Turkmenistan is the implementation of democratic reforms aimed at protecting the Turkmen people’s interests, assurance of their rights and freedoms. 

So, in a context of implementing the “National Action Plan for Human Rights in Turkmenistan for 2016-2020” and the “National Action Plan for Gender Equality for 2015-2020”, approved by the Decree of the head of state, our country is developing collaboration with the specialized United Nations agencies in the field of implementing national and regional programs and action plans for the protection of human rights and freedoms, adopted on the basis of international legal instruments of the United Nations. 

The state pays special attention to family issues and maternity support, providing maternity and childcare benefits, as well as additional postnatal leaves, which makes it possible to fully ensure the healthy development of children from the first days. 

The “Safe Motherhood” Program under implementation in the country covers such aspects as the assurance of healthy pregnancy and delivery of healthy children, improving the conditions in maternity homes, etc. Women of reproductive age, pregnant women and children under 2 years of age are covered by activities under way as part of the program for anemia control and prevention. 

A vital element of this comprehensive system is the “Ene Myahri” Maternal and Child Health Protection Centers, which combine the main directions of science and practice in the field of childbirth attendance, experience and modern technologies in obstetrics, perinatology, intensive care and resuscitation of newborns, medical genetics, reproductive issues, diagnostic and advisory services, treatment of childhood diseases and many other areas. 

The information was also given on the next steps taken recently by the Ministry of Health of the country to further expand the range of provided healthcare services and reproductive health protection products. 

At the end of meeting, the ceremony was held to award winners of the annual UNFPA competition for the best materials of mass media representatives on gender issues, which was preceded by a review of the contestants’ works.