Representatives of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan and the Office of the People's Advocate (Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Moldova exchanged practical experiences during an OSCE-organized peer-to-peer seminar held in Ashgabat on 28 and 29 October 2026.
The two-day event focused on the mandates and functions of ombudsperson institutions, human rights protection and the handling of individual complaints. Ceslav Panico, People's Advocate of the Republic of Moldova, provided an overview of the status and mandate of his office, elaborating on its legal status and the guarantees of its independence and inviolability.
Representatives of the two institutions discussed the general and specific functions of their respective offices, as well as their co-operation with other national and international institutions.
"Independent national human rights institutions play an important role in ensuring respect for human rights, addressing citizens' complaints and helping to improve national protection mechanisms," said William Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, addressing the seminar participants.
Vasile Coroi, People's Advocate for Children's Rights (Children's Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Moldova, shared insights into international and regional frameworks for the protection of children's rights and presented the mandate and main intervention tools of Moldova's Ombudsperson for Children's Rights. Discussions centred on monitoring respect for children's rights, as well as awareness-raising and information activities.
The seminar also covered investigative techniques for handling individual cases, effective fact-finding methodologies and practical interviewing skills for working with victims and witnesses, as well as methods for collecting, preserving and analysing evidence. A dedicated session focused on international and national mechanisms for the protection of women's rights.
