ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

On 23 February 2021, SRSG Natalia Gherman participated in the regional consultations within the framework of the Women Leaders’ Caucus of Central Asian states in preparation for the 65th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The event was organized by the Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The meeting, chaired by H.E. Tanzila Narbaeva, Speaker of the Senate of Uzbekistan, brought together prominent female political leaders, local experts and civil society representatives from all Central Asian states as well as regional leadership of the UNDP, UN Women and UN Country Team in Uzbekistan.

In her opening remarks, SRSG Natalia Gherman emphasized the potential role of the recently established Women Leaders’ Caucus in spearheading reforms promoting increased role of women in peacebuilding processes, responses to transnational threats, including the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.  She stressed importance of regional co-operation for attaining these goals.

“Successful regional cooperation among Central Asian states will be consolidated by the commitment of women at all levels to closely work together for peace, security and sustainable development,” said Natalia Gherman.

The Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger and the UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Asa Regner addressed the meeting pledging support and contribution to the work of the Caucus.

The meeting discussed the situation and challenges to participation of women in public life and decision-making processes across the region. Participants formulated joint recommendations for the upcoming CSW 65th session and endorsed the Work Plan of the Women Leaders’ Caucus for 2021.

Following the consultations, the members of the Caucus agreed to closely cooperate in the implementation of the activities set in the Work Plan for 2021, which includes a range of actions intended to promote participation of women in decision making in the region and their role in conflict prevention, peace-building and sustainable development.

The consultations marked an increasing prominence of the Women Leaders’ Caucus of Central Asia, which was established under the UNRCCA and the UNDP RBEC auspices in December 2020.