Five representatives of the public organization "Keyik Okara" from Turkmenistan learnt Moldova's best practices in the area of preventing and combating gender-based violence during a four-day OSCE-organized study visit that took place in Chisinau from 16 to 19 June 2026.
The study visit aimed to further strengthen the capacities of civil society representatives from Turkmenistan to address gender-based violence through exposure to Moldova's experience and practical approaches in the area of protection and support services for vulnerable groups, including women affected by violence.
The delegation members visited the National Coalition for a Life without Violence, the first network focused specifically on combating gender-based violence, the Public Association International Center "La Strada Moldova", the Family Justice Centre, Women Law Center, NGOs "Women for Women", "Casa Marioarei" and Artemida victim services programme in Drochia.
Moldovan experts and practitioners familiarized their counterparts from Turkmenistan their country's comprehensive response mechanisms to gender-based violence and domestic violence. Discussions focused on data management, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation of services, safety and psycho-social rehabilitation of victims in shelters, and behaviour change programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence.
"As gender-based violence remains a serious obstacle to achieving equality, sustainable development and lasting security, addressing gender-based violence is an important priority for the OSCE," said William Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. "It is our belief that the study visit will further strengthen the capacity of Turkmenistan's civil society to prevent and respond to gender-based violence," added Leaf.
The study visit was organized as part of as part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project on preventing and combating gender-based violence (GBV) funded by the government of Norway.
