The first online discussion on international best practices to introduce a Business Ombudsman in Turkmenistan, which will oversee legal disputes on labor issues in the private sector, was held on Tuesday.
The online meeting was organized by the Safe Migration in Central Asia project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the USAID said in its press release.
In line with the Government of Turkmenistan’s intention to strengthen the country’s private sector, establishment of the Business Ombudsman is a positive step to resolve labor disputes while upholding international human rights standards in the country, according to the statement.
The online forum “Prevention of Human Trafficking in Business Sector Operations” raised awareness among representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Turkmenistan, the Office of the Ombudsman of Turkmenistan, and other government agencies on various issues related to labor and human rights protection in the private sector.
The U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Matthew Klimow and the Ombudsman of Turkmenistan Yazdursun Gurbannazarova attended the virtual event.
“I salute Turkmenistan’s work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, and its goal of ‘Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,” Ambassador Klimow noted in his opening remarks. “It is in our hands to protect people we employ. They want a good job and to be respected and treated decently and fairly. I look forward to staying engaged with you in the months ahead in this project that touches the lives of thousands of people.”
During the webinar, participants learned about best practices that successful companies are putting into practice.
The USAID Safe Migration in Central Asia project is being implemented by Winrock International in four Central Asian countries. The project works in close cooperation with local governments, civil society, and private sector to improve migration practices.
