* The present document is being issued without formal editing.

Information received from Turkmenistan on follow-up to the concluding observations on its sixth periodic report *

[Date received: 2 April 2026]

1.In accordance with paragraph 68 of the concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Turkmenistan hereby provides additional information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 14 (c) (capacity-building for the judiciary), 20 (a) (national machinery), 36 (a) (human rights defenders) and 54 (Sustainable Development Goals).

2.With regard to paragraph 14, Turkmenistan acknowledges the primacy of the universally recognized norms of international law. The Constitution of Turkmenistan is the country’s main legal document; it provides that people are the most valuable asset of society and the State and guarantees social protection for every individual. Article 9 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan provides for the acknowledgement by Turkmenistan of the primacy of the universally recognized norms of international law.

3.The framework for the development of the judicial system for the period 2022–2028 outlines measures to improve the work of the Supreme Court of Turkmenistan in the field of international law, with the aim of studying international experience and incorporating universally recognized norms of international law related to the protection of human rights and freedoms into the national legislation and law enforcement practices of Turkmenistan.

4.With support from the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund, regular training workshops are held for judges and law enforcement officials. The main focus is on the application of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in national court proceedings.

5.With regard to paragraph 20, Turkmenistan has a comprehensive system in place for coordinating government policy on gender equality.

6.Coordinating functions are carried out by the Interdepartmental Commission on Compliance with the International Obligations Undertaken by Turkmenistan in the Field of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, with the participation of government agencies and public associations.

7.In Turkmenistan, the judicial system, law enforcement agencies and bar associations operate as a system. In addition, the following agencies are responsible for implementing human rights initiatives:

–The Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms of the Mejlis (parliament) of Turkmenistan;

–The Ombudsman for Human Rights in Turkmenistan;

–The Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan, which serves as the coordinating body of the Interdepartmental Commission on Compliance with the International Obligations Undertaken by Turkmenistan in the Field of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

8.The following have been established and operate within the Interdepartmental Commission:

–The working group of national human rights experts;

–The working group on international humanitarian law;

–The working group responsible for conducting the survey on the health and situation of women in the family, which serves as the primary national expert group on combating and preventing gender-based violence and providing input on relevant legislative proposals and technical support for the development of necessary measures and practices, as part of an inter-agency response to gender-based violence;

–Human rights resource centres in the welayats (provinces) and in Ashgabat.

9.The budgetary system of Turkmenistan is designed to ensure gender equality by integrating the principles of equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities for men and women. National laws guarantee equal rights for men and women, and budgetary expenditure is aligned with principles that prohibit discrimination based on sex.

10.The budget of Turkmenistan also provides for expenditure on maternity benefits, pensions, payments to cover temporary incapacity for work, cash payments to citizens who have reached the age of 62 years, State social insurance benefits, bursaries, cash gifts on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan in honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March, other transfers of funds to citizens, payments of State benefits for childbirth and childcare, and social benefits funded from the centralized budget.

11.Under the presidential programme for the country’s socioeconomic development in the period 2022–2028, a phased transition to programme-based budgeting is under way. In conjunction with international financial institutions, aspects of gender-responsive budgeting and opportunities for fully engaging all segments of the population in economic activities are being examined.

12.With regard to paragraph 54, the matter of ensuring the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities is addressed in all national socioeconomic development programmes in Turkmenistan. For example, the presidential programme for the country’s socioeconomic development in the period 2022–2028 provides for structural economic reforms, the creation of new jobs, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, the expansion of employment in the private sector and the transition of informally employed workers into the formal sector, thereby opening up new opportunities for the population, including persons with disabilities.

13.On 11 February 2022, a new national programme for the socioeconomic development of Turkmenistan for the period 2022–2052 was adopted. The programme prioritizes the ever-increasing role of human capital as the main factor in the country’s economic development and, accordingly, the formation of a new social model of development that ensures a high standard of living for the people of Turkmenistan.

14.United Nations agencies have been allocated the role of key strategic partners in the country’s new 30-year socioeconomic development programme.

15.The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Turkmenistan for the period 2026–2030 is a strategic programme aimed at furthering cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United Nations in various areas, including maintaining economic stability and growth, protecting the social rights of the population, improving healthcare and education systems and preserving ecological balance.

16.In 2025, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, in collaboration with United Nations agencies, is making comprehensive efforts to eliminate institutional, infrastructural and social barriers that limit access for persons with disabilities to inclusive education.

17.The measures being implemented are aimed at ensuring equal access to education at all levels, establishing sustainable cross-sectoral support mechanisms, fostering an inclusive educational environment and upholding the principle of “no child left behind”. The further expansion and institutionalization of these initiatives will ensure the full participation of girls and women with disabilities in the country’s education system and public life. Turkmenistan provides State-guaranteed, equal access to educational programmes for boys and girls, in accordance with the country’s international human rights and sustainable development obligations.

18.The country is working to develop and expand an inclusive education model. In 2025, an inclusive education model based on an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach was developed and piloted in educational institutions in Ashgabat (preschools Nos. 14 and 160 and schools Nos. 74 and 29).

19.The inclusive model is ready to be scaled up to 13 preschools and 13 schools in the capital and across the country.

20.A methodology for assessing and improving the accessibility of educational institutions for children with disabilities has been developed, approved and prepared for implementation.

21.The aforementioned measures contribute to the elimination of the following barriers:

–Physical inaccessibility of buildings;

–Absence of adapted environments;

–Lack of specialized support;

–Gender stereotypes in relation to girls with disabilities.

22.The further development of a functional and cross-sectoral approach is aimed at making support for children and families more targeted. Particular attention is being paid to the fact that children with disabilities and children with special health needs who previously attended special needs schools in Ashgabat and throughout Turkmenistan have been gradually integrated into the general standard education system. In the period 2018–2025, more than 340 students were transferred to general education schools and more than 280 children were transferred to regular preschools. These outcomes have practical implications for the further development of inclusive education and are being taken into account in the planning of future measures.

23.With a view to ensuring continuous support for persons with disabilities in education, there is a habilitation department in a rehabilitation centre in Ashgabat that is staffed by multidisciplinary teams of specialists, including teachers, psychologists, speech pathologists, physical and occupational therapists and physicians. In addition, support for families, including counselling and assistance with enrolment in educational institutions, is available. This mechanism ensures that needs are identified early, the educational process is personalized, children are not placed in residential care facilities and their socialization and integration into society are supported.

24.The Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov Charitable Foundation plays a vital role in assisting children in need of care by funding the purchase of orthopaedic devices, prosthetics, wheelchairs, hearing aids and specialized equipment for education and rehabilitation. The city of Arkadag is home to a health rehabilitation centre where children receive comprehensive medical and psychological care.

25.In 2025, a national list of priority assistive devices for children with disabilities was developed. The groundwork has been laid for establishing a sustainable system for the procurement and provision of assistive devices that is integrated with the education system. This measure is designed to eliminate a key barrier: the lack of assistive devices (e.g. hearing aids, special communication devices, adaptive equipment) without which children with disabilities cannot fully participate in the education process.

26.In 2025, work began on revising the regulations governing medical and educational commissions and medical and social assessments, and on aligning assessment procedures with the principles of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. This will enable a shift from a medical model of disability to a social and functional one, thereby ensuring the right of children with disabilities to attend general education schools and making it possible to minimize the practice of institutionalization.

Special attention is currently being paid to early intervention and school readiness.

27.A pilot project on parental support, aimed at strengthening parenting skills, has been implemented in 24 preschools. Twenty-four teachers have been certified under the updated programme.

28.Educational materials have been developed in Turkmen and English. Preparations are under way for the large-scale roll-out of a yearly half-day introductory programme and, starting in September 2026, 65 introductory classes are scheduled to open at 55 general education schools across the country. These measures lay the groundwork for early diagnosis and support for children with special educational needs, the reduction of gender and social barriers and the opportunity for children to start school on an equal footing.

29.As part of vocational training programmes, approximately 120 women and girls from Afghan and local communities received vocational training and equipment to support their self-employment.

30.More than 150 representatives of government agencies have received training on gender-sensitive planning.

31.These measures help to strengthen the economic independence of women, including women with disabilities, foster an inclusive environment and increase the responsiveness of government institutions to the needs of vulnerable groups.

32.The Social Protection Code and other laws guarantee persons with disabilities the full range of social, economic, political and individual rights and freedoms. Discrimination is prohibited, and the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of persons with disabilities and support for their public associations as well as their rehabilitation, employment, education, vocational training, access to social infrastructure and social care are guaranteed.

33.In accordance with the Employment Act, local executive authorities and local government bodies establish quotas for job creation and the employment of individuals in need of state support. Employers are required to meet the established job quota for individuals in need of government assistance.

34.The Tax Code of Turkmenistan provides for tax and fee exemptions for persons with disabilities. For example, amendments were made to the Tax Code (2022), pursuant to which the income of individuals supporting persons with disabilities from childhood, as well as persons with disabilities classified in groups I and II, is exempt from taxation (however, for individual entrepreneurs and persons providing professional services, this applies to a tax base in the amount of 600 times the base figure established by law in Turkmenistan for the calculation of taxes and fees). These exemptions are also available to parents or guardians raising a child with a disability under the age of 18 (including adopted or foster children with disabilities).

35.In 2022, the regular comprehensive population and housing census was conducted in Turkmenistan. The census results were compiled into hundreds of tables and charts covering key indicators, published in book form in three languages and distributed to relevant ministries, agencies and international organizations, and were also posted on the official Turkmenstat website at www.stat.gov.tm/population-census.

36.The statistical compendium “Men and Women of Turkmenistan”, which is compiled once every five years (the next edition is scheduled for 2023) and distributed to the relevant ministries and agencies, is based on data from government statistical reports, the results of sample population surveys and information provided by the ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan.

37.In accordance with the 2024 work plan agreed between the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the seventh round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey was successfully conducted in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan became one of the first countries in the world to include a module on violence against women, in which a referral mechanism was implemented to connect respondents, upon their request, with social services. In addition, a survey using a questionnaire was conducted for the first time among men aged 15–49 years. The data obtained made it possible to supplement the indicators for Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5 and 16 with sex-disaggregated data. A platform indicating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Turkmenistan is available on the Turkmenstat website at sdg.stat.gov.tm.

38.In May 2025, the State Statistics Committee and UNICEF organized a presentation on the results of the seventh round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Turkmenistan. In January 2026, a report on the results was published on the UNICEF website (mics.unicef.org).