ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — The Government of Turkmenistan will contribute $1 million to the UNFPA’s 2016-2020 country programme. The agreement, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and UNFPA Regional Director Heimo Laakkonen on 12 December 2015 in Ashgabat, makes Turkmenistan the first country in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region to co-finance a UNFPA country programme.

“We welcome the co-financing agreement as a major step towards Turkmenistan’s assuming full ownership of development programmes within its borders,” said Mr. Laakkonen. “With this agreement, Turkmenistan reaffirms its commitment to making progress on key population priorities such as gender equality, youth empowerment and universal access to reproductive health.”

“Turkmenistan has become a role model in the region for a new model of partnership in working towards achieving the new Sustainable Development Goals,” he added.

UNFPA has been active in Turkmenistan since 1992.

The new $3.8 million country programme will assist the Turkmen authorities in delivering integrated reproductive and maternal health services, and incorporating the rights of adolescents and youth in laws, strategies and comprehensive and gender-sensitive reproductive health education programmes.

It will also focus on providing support for the implementation of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality, and strengthening national policies through the use of gender-disaggregated data and evidence-based analysis on population dynamics, reproductive health and rights, adolescents and youth, and gender equality.

Learn more about UNFPA’s work in Turkmenistan.