APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY Urgent Call for Action to Protect Women and Children from Violence in Turkmenistan Dear Representatives of the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, international human rights organizations, diplomatic missions, media outlets, and all those committed to the protection of human rights, The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” / Turkmenistan is addressing you following yet another documented case of violence against women and children in Turkmenistan. Unfortunately, this case is not an isolated incident. For many years, cases of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual violence, forced marriages, psychological abuse, and other serious human rights violations have occurred in Turkmenistan. However, the overwhelming majority of victims remain without effective protection and without access to the assistance they desperately need. We are particularly alarmed by the situation of children who become victims of violence or are forced to grow up in an environment of fear, abuse, and impunity. Every such case leaves deep physical and psychological scars that may affect a person for the rest of their life. Today, Turkmenistan lacks a comprehensive system for protecting victims of violence. Women and children who experience violence often have no access to: Safe shelters and emergency accommodation; Psychological counseling and trauma support; Qualified legal assistance; Social services and professional case management; Protection from further abuse and retaliation; Fair and impartial investigations and access to justice. There are no independent crisis centers, no sufficient network of shelters, no nationwide twenty-four-hour emergency hotlines, and no effective victim-support mechanisms capable of providing immediate protection and assistance. We are deeply concerned that the existing system fails to provide adequate protection for victims. Corruption, the absence of an independent judiciary, and the lack of accountability within law enforcement institutions contribute to an environment in which many cases of violence remain uninvestigated and perpetrators evade responsibility. In many cases, victims are afraid to seek help because of social stigma, pressure from relatives, threats from abusers, and a profound lack of trust in state institutions. Children are especially vulnerable. A child cannot independently seek legal protection, secure safe accommodation, or fight for justice. It is therefore the responsibility of the state to establish special mechanisms for their protection. Such mechanisms are either absent or ineffective in Turkmenistan today. We firmly believe that protecting women and children from violence is not an internal matter of any state. It is a fundamental human rights obligation under international law. Turkmenistan is a party to numerous international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Nevertheless, the absence of effective protection mechanisms demonstrates a significant gap between international commitments and the reality faced by victims inside the country. Therefore, we call upon the international community to utilize all available diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian mechanisms to encourage and pressure the authorities of Turkmenistan to take immediate and meaningful action to protect victims of violence. We call upon international organizations to urge the authorities of Turkmenistan to: 1. Establish a nationwide network of crisis centers providing emergency protection and temporary accommodation for women and children affected by violence. 2. Create a twenty-four-hour national hotline for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and gender-based violence. 3. Ensure free psychological assistance for women and children who have experienced violence and trauma. 4. Guarantee access to independent legal assistance for all victims regardless of their social status, income, or place of residence. 5. Establish specialized police units to investigate crimes involving violence against women and children. 6. Ensure independent, impartial, and effective investigations into all allegations of violence and abuse. 7. Strengthen accountability for public officials who fail to act, obstruct investigations, or conceal crimes. 8. Allow access to international experts and United Nations mechanisms to assess the situation regarding violence against women and children. 9. Ensure transparent collection and publication of statistical data on domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, and other forms of violence. 10. Develop and implement a national violence prevention strategy including educational programs for schools, healthcare workers, social services, and law enforcement agencies. 11. Provide protection for victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers so that individuals can report violence without fear of retaliation. 12. Establish comprehensive social support programs for women and children facing crisis situations. Every case of violence that remains uninvestigated creates conditions for future crimes. Every child who is denied protection becomes a victim not only of the perpetrator but also of state inaction. Every woman left alone to face violence deserves protection, support, dignity, and justice. We urge the international community not to remain silent. Thousands of women and children in Turkmenistan need real mechanisms of protection, support, and safety. Silence does not protect victims. Silence protects abusers. The protection of women and children is a legal and moral obligation of every state and must never depend on the political will of individual officials. We call upon international organizations, democratic governments, human rights institutions, and independent media to pay close attention to the problem of violence in Turkmenistan and to support the creation of effective protection mechanisms for those who today remain without assistance and without hope. Respectfully, Diana Dadasheva Chairperson Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” / Turkmenistan Lala Abdurakhmanova Representative Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” / Turkmenistan E-mail: dayanch.civil@gmail.com Website: https://dayanchcivil.com 2026