Digital innovations were discussed at the 4th Civil Society Forum in Ashgabat

Date of publication: 16 February 2024 / Views: 413

On Friday, February 16, 2024, the next Forum of Public Organizations of Turkmenistan was held in the hall of the Archabil Hotel. This is the 4th Civil Society Forum in a row, and supported by the project “Assistance to the Improvement of Public Administration” in Turkmenistan (Governance Support Program, GSP) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

About 30 participants gathered to discuss new forms of interaction between the civil sector in the digital space, which fully corresponds to the consistently implemented “Concept for the development of the digital economy in Turkmenistan for 2019-2025” and “The State Program for the development of the digital Economy in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025”. Among the participants were representatives from government agencies: the Mejlis, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Ministry of Education, and the Turkmenaragatnashyk agency. Representatives of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, the Makhtumkuli Youth Organization of Turkmenistan, the Central Physical Culture and Sports Club of the Disabled of Turkmenistan, the Society of the Blind and Deaf of Turkmenistan, the Disability Support Center, the Nature Protection Society of Turkmenistan, Yenme, Yashyl Shokhle, the Ynam Club, the Agama Alpclub, a professional accountant, Keyik Okara, Yash tebigatchy, Tebigi kuvvat, Guitar Society, media representatives – Turkmenistan “Golden Age”. The event was opened by Mr. Jeffrey Skarin, representative of USAID in Turkmenistan, who welcomed all participants and wished them successful work in the forum. Then the moderator of the forum, Gulya Choreklieva, chairman of the public organization “Yenme”, made a presentation on “Digital transformation of public associations as a factor in the development of civil society.”

There were speeches by representatives of government agencies, after which those present asked questions to the speakers, to which detailed answers were given.

So, when asked from the audience about providing a clear interpretation of some laws directly regulating the activities of public associations, Nepes Roziev noted that the Mejlis of Turkmenistan is constantly working to improve legislation and considers appeals from public organizations. In this regard, G.Choreklieva proposed to consider such proposals in the format of a round table, with the development of proposals and recommendations for sending them to the legislature. The forum, dedicated to discussing strategies for digital interaction in the civil sector, touched upon many sectors of the economy – health, education, youth policy, environmental protection, social sphere, national legislative framework, etc. The rest of the afternoon was devoted to speeches by representatives of public organizations in the “free microphone” mode, which gave the forum a more friendly atmosphere with lively discussions. Of course, such meetings promote cooperation between government agencies and the civil sector, increase the level of legal and digital literacy of citizens and strengthen their role in the development of society. At the end of the forum, all participants expressed their desire to continue meeting to jointly discuss significant topics of civil society.