NEWS
International Conference “The Role of Women in Modern Society: Developing International Cooperation Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals” Held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone
On 11 December 2025, the International Conference “The Role of Women in Modern Society: Developing International Cooperation Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals” was held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone. The conference was organized by the Government of Turkmenistan and the Charity Fund for Providing Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, in cooperation with the United Nations.
Following the official joint photo ceremony, participants of the International Conference visited an exhibition showcasing Turkmenistan’s achievements and successes in foreign policy over the past 30 years.
Opening the Forum, the Vice President for Medical Activities of the Charity Fund, Oguljahan Atabayeva, thanked all participants for taking part in the International Conference “The Role of Women in Modern Society: Developing International Cooperation Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Expressing confidence that the Forum participants would engage in active and constructive dialogue, Oguljahan Atabayeva wished everyone productive work.
The Vice President for Medical Activities of the Charity Fund for Providing Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov then continued her address in Russian, one of the official languages of the United Nations, noting that it was a great honor for her to speak at this unique conference and expressing hope that it would become a tradition.
She emphasized that the conference would serve as an effective platform for the exchange of practical experience and expertise and would help more clearly define prospects for joint international activities in this field.
Continuing her remarks, the Vice President drew attention to the fact that the current meeting was taking place at a special time, when the international agenda requires not only declarations of commitment to humanism, but also practical solutions that unite states.
Oguljahan Atabayeva noted that it is women who shape a child’s first life values, create an atmosphere of trust within the family, and pass on a culture of peace, respect, and confidence.
As she continued, she stressed that Turkmen society has traditionally been built on respect and reverence for women. Referring to the work “Veneration of the Mother Is Veneration of the Sacred,” written by the Hero-Arkadag, she quoted: “Everything most beautiful in our lives is in one way or another connected with the mother.”
The Charity Fund named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is implementing a wide range of large-scale programs in this area. These include programs to protect the health of mothers and children; initiatives to establish child-friendly schools and hospitals in cooperation with UNICEF; rehabilitation of children in specialized centers; and international humanitarian assistance, extending from Türkiye to Palestine, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and other regions.
In this context, the Vice President also emphasized the importance of the Central Asia Women’s Dialogue. The meeting of Dialogue participants held in Dushanbe on 25 November 2025 demonstrated that women’s leadership is gaining strength, becoming an increasingly tangible factor of regional trust and a mechanism for strengthening interstate cooperation.
She noted that in the International Year of Peace and Trust, Turkmenistan seeks to put forward concrete proposals that could contribute to international cooperation mechanisms and the development of new, effective formats and platforms for multilateral interaction, including within the framework of the United Nations.
The first initiative proposed was a Global Pact on Children’s Health. This initiative envisages the creation of an international pact on children’s health as a platform for uniting joint efforts at the international level. Its goal is to establish a unified space of responsibility for states and international organizations for children’s health, regardless of their place of residence, social status, or living conditions.
In essence, the Global Pact on Children’s Health could become an updated global agreement that unites the efforts of the UN, UNICEF, WHO, governments, and humanitarian funds and forms an international humanitarian consensus on the inadmissibility of inequality in access to health care for children.
The second initiative proposed was the International Network of Support Centers for Women and Children, “Humanitarian Hubs.” This initiative envisages the creation of a flexible global humanitarian support infrastructure—a network of humanitarian hubs located in countries facing conflicts, natural disasters, migration flows, or social crises.
A key component of this initiative is the establishment of a unified international coordination platform bringing together such major actors as UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women, leading charitable foundations, and civil society organizations.
Expressing hope that the proposed initiatives would receive support and understanding from the international community, Oguljahan Atabayeva reaffirmed the readiness of the Turkmen side for constructive dialogue on their implementation.
Concluding her address, she called on all participants to follow the example of children and build a peaceful and predictable future for them.
The floor was then given to the participants of the plenary session.
The Vice President for Medical Activities of the Charity Fund was the first to invite the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, to speak.
Noting that ensuring gender equality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals are among today’s most pressing tasks, Ms. Tatiana Valovaya emphasized the importance of the work of international organizations in promoting women’s rights and increasing their participation in public life, highlighting the significant role of the United Nations in these processes.
She also highly praised Turkmenistan’s efforts in this area and commended its contribution to strengthening the activities of UN specialized agencies and regional centers, aimed at promoting a comprehensive approach to fulfilling international commitments and fostering an inclusive global society.
The floor was then given to the Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva.
Expressing gratitude to the leadership of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people for the hospitality and the high organizational level of the Forum, she emphasized the importance of the Conference agenda items related to strengthening the institution of the family and enhancing the role of women in society. Confidence was expressed that new approaches to empowering women would be developed during the Forum.
Thanking Saida Mirziyoyeva for her substantive address, Oguljahan Atabayeva noted that it highlighted the importance of social protection, support for children and families, and the creation of equal opportunities for all citizens.
The moderator then gave the floor to the representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Leyla Aliyeva.
Thanking the organizers for the invitation, Leyla Aliyeva emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of women in society and preserving family values in the modern world. She expressed confidence that the outcomes of the Forum, held on the picturesque shores of the Caspian Sea, would lay a solid foundation for long-term cooperation in this field.
Expressing sincere appreciation for her address, the Vice President of the Charity Fund noted the importance of humanitarian and cultural initiatives aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and supporting socially significant projects at the global level, emphasizing the significant role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
The floor was then given to the President of the National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe, Selmira do Sacramento.
Welcoming the opportunity to participate in the Conference as an effective platform for developing coordinated measures and exchanging best practices to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the area of gender equality, she wished the Forum success and highly praised Turkmenistan’s achievements in ensuring gender equality.
Oguljahan Atabayeva expressed gratitude for the address, noting its alignment with global priorities related to strengthening democratic institutions and empowering women in political and public life.
Subsequent speakers included the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Dilrabo Mansuri; the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, Aksoltan Ataeva; the Minister of Home Affairs of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Lindiwe Dlamini; the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri; the Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad; the Government Spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Fatemeh Mohajerani; the First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy of the Russian Federation, Zhanna Chefranova; the Vice President and First Secretary of the Secretariat of the All-China Women’s Federation, Huang Xiaowei; the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akmaral Alnazarova; and the Minister of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, Dogdurkul Kendirbayeva.
Each speaker addressed issues related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, social protection, education, health care, and international cooperation, while expressing appreciation for Turkmenistan’s initiatives and the high level of organization of the Forum.
In her concluding remarks, Oguljahan Atabayeva thanked all participants for their substantive, sincere, and inspiring speeches, expressing confidence that the Final Document of the Conference would make a meaningful contribution to international humanitarian efforts and be reflected in future joint practical actions.
On behalf of the Charity Fund named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, she congratulated the participants on the upcoming International Neutrality Day, observed on 12 December.
The International Conference then continued its work in the format of thematic sessions: “Public administration and the activities of civil society institutions for the benefit of women and children,” “Economic opportunities for women,” and “Women’s social engagement in education, child upbringing, health care, and environmental protection.”
Following the Forum, a number of bilateral documents were signed.