A seminar on the protection of the population in emergency situations was held at the UN building in Ashgabat from 5 to 7 August. It was attended by 30 specialists from Turkmenistan’s state bodies working on the front line of emergency response, according to the news website Turkmenportal.

The seminar was organised by UNICEF and the Main Directorate for Civil Defence and Rescue Operations of the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan, in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The event took place as part of efforts to strengthen the national emergency preparedness system and develop inter-agency cooperation.

The training was delivered by national and international experts. The UNICEF sessions focused on the protection of children in emergencies. UNHCR experts presented regional and global experience in applying international standards for the protection of the population. IFRC experts led sessions on contemporary risks, emergency preparedness and the international legal framework for humanitarian action.

Zhanar Sagimbayeva, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Turkmenistan, noted that the seminar should provide government agencies with the knowledge and mechanisms for cooperation to ensure the timely identification, protection and safe referral of children in need of assistance – before, during and after an emergency.

The workshop was supported by UNICEF’s Global Humanitarian Thematic Funding (GHTF).