OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organizes seminar to promote gender-sensitive legislation

ASHGABAT, 12 October 2009 - Participants at an OSCE seminar that took place in Ashgabat today discussed the importance of laws that promote and protect gender equality. 

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan organized the seminar. More than 40 representatives from the Parliament, government ministries, state institutions and public organizations, as well as from embassies and international organizations took part in the event.

Seminar participants talked about international instruments for the promotion and protection of gender equality. The development of national gender-aware legislation, as well as monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, were also discussed.

"This seminar aimed to facilitate the exchange of best practices among OSCE participating States and stimulate dialogue aimed at integrating these standards into the national law and practice," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

Seminar participants learned about other countries' mechanisms for ensuring gender equality and discussed good practices in developing gender-aware labour and social security legislation. An expert from Spain shared the country's experience in developing legislation addressing gender-based violence.