Turkmenistan acceded to the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in 2008 and ratified its optional protocol in 2010. The government demonstrates commitment to the introduction of social-oriented policies, but people with disabilities still face barriers in everyday life. These include lack of access to buildings, social stigmas, and limited awareness of social service programs. To support the government initiative, the USAID Governance Support Program jointly with the civil society organization “Yenme” conducted a seminar for government officials on the rights of people with disabilities. The sessions focused on creating a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities to fully enjoy their rights and unlock their physical and intellectual potential. The participants agreed that the key concept of social protection for people with disabilities should achieve a balance between provision of an adequate level of income security and promotion of job opportunities. As a result, participants recommended developing an ethical code for social workers to use as a standard for professional behavior.
Q2 Impact’s expertise in making data and information actionable played an important role in supporting the USAID/Turkmenistan Governance Support Program. Click here to read more about the project.