Ashgabat, 26 May 2009 – UNICEF completed a joint workshop where more than twenty new members of Turkmenistan’s Parliament-Medjlis studied the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The workshop served to launch a year long campaign to mark the 20th anniversary of the CRC and was aimed at introducing new lawmakers to the major international convention that protects the rights of children.

“Medjlis has long term cooperation with UNICEF and I appreciate the opportunity provided to the new members of the Medjlis to learn about the international instruments of children’s rights protection. This knowledge will further be shared and applied to the legislation adopted by the Medjlis,” said Ms Akdja Nurberdyeva, Speaker of the Medjlis of Turkmenistan.

Participants of the workshop have learned about Concluding Observations that CRC country-members, including Turkmenistan, should periodically submit to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Convention and its implementation through new laws and policies were discussed as well.

UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan Samphe Lhalungpa welcomed recent adoption by Medjlis of the new Criminal Procedure Code, Labour Code and Law on Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and Requirements for Infant Feeding Products that promise new protection mechanisms of children’s rights.

As a follow up to the workshop, new Medjlis members will visit velayats later this year to orient local government on international standards and new legislation pertaining to children’s rights.

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