The discussions covered a wide range of issues starting with Turkmenistan’s local self-governance legislation and other countries’ experiences in this field and finishing with developing a mechanism of implementation of local self-governance laws at the local level. Establishing closer interaction between regional authorities and local self-governance bodies (Gengesh) as well as social partnership at the local level were also in the focus of discussions. This point is particularly important in view of the forthcoming elections to local self-governance bodies in Turkmenistan scheduled for June 2009. The seminars participants exchanged views on preparations for these elections and the conduct of election campaigns.
The seminars also looked at the issue of creating a legal framework regulating financial operations of local self-governance bodies as well as defining local self-governance bodies’ powers with regard to levy of local taxes, economic activities and other issues. The participants presented their proposals on important aspects of local self-governance such as development of local budgets and identification of sources of funding of Gengeshes.
“The seminar provided a good platform for exchanging ideas and proposals on how to better engage with stakeholders to improve quality of services in rural areas. It is very encouraging that local communities and village activists are now becoming reliable and active participants in the process of socio-economic and cultural transformation of villages,” said Bayramgul Amanmuhamedova, head of Berkarar Gengesh in Akhal province.
The evidence of change in perception and attitude of local communities to local governance issues can be seen now in many pilot Gengeshes covered by the UNDP-supported project. These include the pilot Gengeshes in Akhal and Lebap provinces, winners of small grants projects, who have benefited from enhanced quality of medical, educational and recreational services.
The nationwide seminars follow last year’s capacity-building trainings for members of pilot local self-governance bodies and are in tune with recommendations of the final conference that agreed that training and public awareness activities should be scaled up to allow for closer interaction between village and district level governments.
The UNDP-supported Project “Local Self-Governance” started in 2007. The project is implemented jointly with the Parliament of Turkmenistan. The project aims at improving the quality of services provided at the local level through strengthening capacity of local self-governance bodies and improving the legal and policy environment for further development of local governance.
For more information please contact:
Timur Dosmamedov, Communications Associate
UNDP Turkmenistan
E-mail:
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Tel: (99312) 425250
Fax: (99312) 425317
Web: www.undptkm.org
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Ashgabat, 21 April 2009 – Broadening understanding of regional authorities of local self-governance principles and the state policy on this issue were the prime objective of seminars held in all five provinces of the country in March-April 2009 within the framework of UNDP-supported Project “Local Self-Governance”. A group of members of the national parliament responsible for advancing Turkmenistan’s local self-governance reform agenda led the discussions. A total of 130 people, including district level officials supervising local self-governance bodies, chiefs of provincial economic, financial and statistics departments, as well as representatives of public organizations and local communities participated in the seminars.
