Continuing a series of publications devoted to thematic events to be held on the margins of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, one should note that the fruitful partnership of the Turkmen state with the Community of the Nations covers almost all major areas, including gender policy.

The principle of equal rights and freedoms, creation of equal possibilities for men and women according to the Constitution of Turkmenistan and general international standards were outlined by one of the main priorities of the state policy successfully realised by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

It is for this reason that promotion of constructive, mutually beneficial cooperation with foreign partners in the field of gender equality, which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, acts as a key vector of the foreign policy strategy of our fatherland.

It is not without reason that the program of the forthcoming forum in Avaza includes the meeting of women-leaders, their leadership - an indispensable condition for solution of global issues of today, including those, with which land-locked developing countries face.

Independent neutral Turkmenistan successfully realises the peaceful foreign policy and puts forward important initiatives for humanity within international organisations to maintain global peace and sustainable development, which is in essence, is a reflexion of provision of the Charter of the United Nations Organization. Therefore, it is symbolic that the 30th anniversary of the obtaining of permanent neutral status by Turkmenistan and other one, which falls on the current year - the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Organization are interconnected. 

Basic principles of neutrality are included in the Concept of activity and priorities of Turkmenistan within the International year of peace and trust. It also highlights that 2025 is called to underline noticeably an effective role of developing countries in world processes.

In the given context, one should point out the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations « Additional information on the modalities of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries”», according to which the decision to hold the international forum in August of the current year in Avaza national tourist zone was adopted.

As was underlined in previous materials, now thanks to efforts of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Hero-Arkadag and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, a great deal of work is carried out in the country work to organise the given Conference at a high level.

So, at the meeting of the Organizing state committee, which was held on July 13 in Avaza, Hero-Arkadag underlined that, the holding the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries on the coast of the Caspian sea and arrangement of various events on its sidelines, Turkmenistan builds bridges of friendship between world states.

Among the planned events of political-diplomatic, trade and economic and cultural-humanitarian significance the meeting of women-heads is separately outlined. Therefore, in this publication a short review of activity carried out in our country for promotion of gender policy will be given.

In the Era of Revival of the new epoch of the powerful state, in our independent neutral fatherland the great attention is given to the development of women's movement. Being one of the largest public organisations of the country, which includes thousands of the most active participants of grandiose achievements of the present, the Union of Women acts as authoritative force in realisation of creative transformations initiated by National Leader of the Turkmen people Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and nowadays successfully realised by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

At present, representatives of the fair gender of Turkmen society work in government structures - legislative, executive powers, participate in foreign policy activity, conduct business, bring a powerful contribution to realisation of grandiose programs aimed to join our fatherland the rank of developed states of the world. At the same time, it is necessary to mark that in the country complex work is carried out to observe their rights and interests, to support families, to protect motherhood and childhood.

Possessing a huge creative potential, our women successfully display themselves in various branches and at high executive positions, participate in harmonisation of public life, education of the rising generation in the spirit of peaceful disposition and good neighbourhood, preservation of spiritual values.

A high position of Turkmen women in society shows the level of development and steady process of democratisation of the country. Among important indicators of health of society - care of mothers and children, a stronghold of family hearths, help to large families. And in this work, democratic values and national traditions find reflexion. Their contribution to counteraction to negative consequences of climate change, preservation of the environment as well as solution of vital issues of social and economic, cultural-humanitarian development, modernization of public health services and education can attest to it.

Our state gives to women every possible privileges, creates conditions for their worthy life and fruitful work, ensuring gender equality at the legislative level. Practical steps undertaken in the given area are highly estimated by the international community. Presentation of the Central Board of the Union of Women of Turkmenistan with a medal and a relevant certificate on the margins of the 22nd ministerial conference of CAREC  for promotion of gender equality of the Program of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) of the Asian Development Bank, which is a long-term partner of our country on November 29, 2023 served a clear evidence of the fact.

Along with profile organisations of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan, Mongolia, the Central Board of the Union of Women of Turkmenistan took part in competition and for good results in the given area received an award of the winner. This event - one of the unforgettable one in the life of Turkmen women, became one more visual evidence of recognition of the world community a large-scale activity carried out under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan for maintenance of gender equality, the further strengthening and development of principles of democracy in the country.

Today, in our fatherland all conditions are created for the worthy life and creative activity of our women. Recognising the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and steadily following the international obligations, our country has joined basic international acts in the field of the rights and freedoms of women. They include Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Beijing Declaration and the Platform for action, Convention on the Political Rights of Women, Convention concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value of the International Labour Organisation and others.

Key positions of the above-named documents find a practical embodiment in national legal acts. In this connection, it is necessary to note the Law of Turkmenistan "On the state guarantees of maintenance of the equal rights and equal possibilities of women and men". In the document the standards protected by the state guaranteeing equality of women and men as well as equal participation in all spheres of the state and public life irrespective of nationality, race, sex, origin, property, official and marital status, place of residence, language, religion, political convictions, party membership or absence of membership of any party are provided.

At present, the National Action Plan on Gender Equality for 2021-2025, which is already the second on, is realised. The document is aimed at creation of conditions for further expansion of participation of women in all spheres of life of state and society, achievement of sustainable development and stable economic progress through observance of principles of gender equality. At the same time, programs on protection of motherhood and the child, social support of large families are successfully carried out.

Concerning cooperation of Turkmenistan with the United Nations Organization in the field of gender equality, it is important to note that the United Nations strategy is based on long-term experience and aimed at exploration of ways of improvement of the status of women and the idea «gender equality as goals of development». At present, al efforts of the Community of the Nations are directed to achievement of the Goals of sustainable development. The principle of gender equality appears in the Agenda 2030 as basic   condition of sustainable development and is put into operation in all establishments of the United Nations.

Among the main one of them - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, which supports participation of women in processes on prevention of conflicts and peace-making through the program «Women, peace and security» for the purpose of promotion of potential and expansion of their possibilities at local, national and regional levels. Within the Program research initiatives, data gathering, exchange of knowledge, and documentation of advanced experience for informing policy and programs are undertaken.

It is necessary to point out that Turkmenistan responsibly approaches solution of the problems focused on specific goals in the field of gender policy. Election of our country to the Commission on the Status of Women for 2018-2022 and member of Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) for the period 2022–2024 can serve a good example for efficiency of work realised in this area.

Turkmenistan carries out constructive partnership with international human rights mechanisms, which promote achievement of qualitative results in the further advancement of general standards in the field. With a view to support women of the Central Asian region in maintenance of possibility for more confident and significant impact on decision-making processes on the issues connected with peace, stability, sustainable development and regional cooperation, in December, 2020, the Dialogue platform of women leaders-women of Central Asia was established with the UN Development Program, UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women. 

Created by representatives of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kirghiz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan with the United Nations’ support an absolutely new platform became the first in the history of Central Asia in development and strengthening of interaction between women of Central Asia and finds today an increasing weight and influence.

As was already marked, neutral Turkmenistan actively increases the meaningful dialogue with countries of the world and large organisations, first of all with specialised establishments of United Nations structures on advancement of gender equality and expansion of the rights and possibilities of women. The Dialogue of women of states of Central Asia on August 6, 2021 in Avaza national tourist zone and on December 10, 2022 in Ashgabat, online participation in subregional consultations for states of Central Asia on preparation for the 66th session of the Commission for the Status of Women on February 15, 2022 as well as the Dialogues held in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kirghiz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan at the initiatives of our country also can serve the example for it.

The new impulse in the given area was given to development of cooperation and strengthening of international interaction the Dialogue of women of states of Central Asia and the Russian Federation «The role of women in political and social and economic development» with participation of representatives of five countries, Russia, heads of regional structures of the United Nations Organization held on May 13, 2022 in the Turkmen capital. The meeting was aimed at support of partnership, trust and mutual understanding between women, granting of possibilities for more essential influence on decision-making processes on the issues connected with peace, stability and sustainable development in the region.

A special significance at the forum was given to the role of women in realisation of grandiose social and economic converting programs in Turkmenistan, which are carried out under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. At the same time, it was underlined that the vigorous activity and new ideas of Turkmen women bring a powerful contribution to struggle against such global threats, as negative consequences of climate change, environment degradation, and solution of pressing issues of social and economic, cultural-humanitarian development, public health services and education.

This meeting attested to aspiration of friendly countries to pay priority attention to themes of increase of degree of participation of women in the state and public life for achievement of the Goals of sustainable development of the United Nations for 2030, including maintenance of gender equality, protection of achievements of policy in the given area, the rights and interests of women, activization of their role in decision-making on important issues in political, economic and social spheres.

It is also necessary to underline that in the conference «The role of women in strengthening universal peace and security» held in the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on march 17, 2025 issues of protection of maternity and childhood within multilateral structures, the humane policy pursued by our state as well as increase of efficiency of cooperation in this area were discussed with UNESCO, UNICEF as structural units of the United Nations.

Coming back to the theme of the forthcoming meeting of women-leaders planned to be held in August in Avaza national tourist zone on the sidelines of the Third Conference of the United Nations on Landlocked Developing Countries, it is necessary to note that this action is urged to show recognition and support of aspiration of women to bring a  contribution to political, social and economic and cultural-humanitarian processes, and by that promoting achievement of Goals of sustainable development, ensuring stability at regional and global levels, strengthening of peace and trust between states and people at the highest level.