Ashgabat, June 3-4, 2024. Representatives of national organizations comprising the Interdepartmental Working Group for monitoring the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and public associations of Turkmenistan discussed issues relating to systemic integration and application of gender-sensitive approaches in migration management at a two-day workshop in Ashgabat organized within the framework of the regional project of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) “Protection of Vulnerable Migrants with Special Emphasis on Empowerment of Women in the Context of Migration in Central Asia”.

As part of the workshop facilitated by an international expert, participants explored opportunities to enhance the systemic integration of gender perspectives in public policies and national action plans on migration, reviewed relevant methodologies, monitoring and reporting tools for gender and human rights mainstreaming, and discussed gender stereotypes and overcoming gender bias.  

As was noted during the workshop, gender mainstreaming is one of the cross-cutting and interdependent guiding principles embedded in all the objectives of the GCM, the first ever UN intergovernmental agreement on a common approach to managing international migration, which was endorsed by UN Member States, including Turkmenistan in 2018 in accordance with the UNGA resolution. The GCM mainstreams a gender perspective and promotes gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, recognizing their independence, agency and leadership in order to move away from addressing migrant women primarily through a lens of victimhood.

In this context, the workshop participants discussed the importance of collection and use of data to formulate gender-sensitive public policies and programs on migration, ensuring a gender-sensitive approach to regulating labor migration, labor-related violence against women in migration, vulnerabilities and needs of children affected by migration, integration of gender perspectives in ensuring safe migration, reintegration of female migrants, protection measures for regular and irregular migrants in receiving and sending countries.

Following the discussions, the workshop participants agreed on a roadmap for application of the newly gained knowledge and skills in their work.

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The IOM regional project “Protection of Vulnerable Migrants with Special Emphasis on Empowerment of Women in the Context of Migration in Central Asia” aims to strengthen the resilience of migrants, especially women in vulnerable situations in the context of migration through their economic integration, promoting gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors towards women in the context of migration, and strengthening national responses to the vulnerability of migrants through coordination platforms and cooperation among all stakeholders. Under this project, IOM in partnership with civil society organizations supports a “shelter” for vulnerable populations affected by migration, two “hotlines” in the cities of Ashgabat and Turkmenabat and gender-sensitive reintegration assistance for voluntary returning migrants, including, among others, small grants for income-generating activities for persons in vulnerable situations.

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For additional questions, please contact:

Dovlet Chariyev

IOM Communication Focal Point

E-mail: dchariyev@iom.int

Tel:+99312 488407