APF holds capacity assessment of Turkmenistan's Ombuds Office in partnership with UNDP and OHCHR

On 4-13 October 2022, a Capacity Assessment of the Ombudsperson’s Office of Turkmenistan was held at the invitation of the Ombudsman and in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 

The Assessment was arranged by APF, OHCHR and UNDP under the framework of the Global Principles for Assessing the Capacity of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) developed in 2011 by the Global Tripartite Partnership to Support National Human Rights Institutions comprised of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), UNDP, and OHCHR.

The purpose of the Capacity Assessment was to provide a thorough analysis of the current strengths and capacity gaps of the Ombudsman’s Office and recommend strategic priorities and actions to support it to fulfill its mandate to promote and protect human rights more effectively in line with the UN endorsed Paris Principles. 

The Capacity Assessment team members consisted of representatives from the APF, UNDP and OHCHR, including APF member institution, the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia. As part of the assessment the team held interviews with the Ombudsman, her staff, representatives of various government ministries, the Supreme Court, local government, and civil society organizations in Ashgabat and in Ahal and Balkan regions.

Through research, interviews and a survey, the Capacity Assessment Team considered the mandate and functioning of the Ombudsman, its current capacity and what it requires for its strengthening over the next three to five years. 

The CA team will deliver a report to the Ombudsman with recommendations on strategic priorities and actions for her consideration.   

The APF, UNDP and OHCHR remain committed to supporting the Ombudsman’s Office to implement any of the recommendations and will continue to encourage its engagement with the international human rights system.

Date: 31 October 2022