TTurkmenistan has two faces. The first is what we see in the official press: a beautiful dancer, a loving mother, a sister or a daughter in a beautiful traditional dress. He may be dancing, cooking or decorating an event with his presence.
The second is closer to reality: women and girls who have no place to go when they face domestic violence, do not have access to support and care, and they face sexual violence – just a few examples in a long list of unmet needs.
Access to information is greatly reduced. The government owns or controls all media and the Internet is heavily censored and blocked.
As the founder and editor of Saglyk.org, the only website with reliable public health information in the Turkmen language, my colleagues and I have been inviting unbiased and informed discussions to educate the public and promote good scientific practices in public health. Turkmenistan.
Saglyk’s content on sexuality and parenting is widely read. There is a great need for this information, especially among women and girls. Turkmen schools do not teach. Families don’t talk. The media does not cover the story. A public space to discuss this important aspect of being human does not exist.
Government agencies promote this confusion by not providing scientific information to the public and failing to provide any public health information. This helps to improve the health of women and girls in Turkmenistan. It also removes their responsibility. This has to change.
According to Unicef, Turkmenistan has the highest number of deaths among children under the age of five in Central Asia. According to the latest statistics of the UN humanitarian fund, only 50% of Turkmen women who are married or in a relationship are using modern methods of contraception. And of all women aged 15-49, 8% have inadequate contraception.
In Turkmenistan, about 60% of women are unable to make decisions on their own about important issues such as health care, contraception and sexual acceptance. The government promotes messages in support of the birth of families of eight children, promoting the idea of the great role of women as wives and submissive mothers.
The first national report on domestic violence against women, published by UNFPA in August 2022, found that 58% of women between the ages of 15-49 believe that breaking restrictions and obligations imposed by a partner is sufficient reason for a man to beat his wife . The most common way to prevent marriage is to prevent women from leaving the home without permission. The second most common is preventing women from working or studying outside the home. According to the survey, 41 percent of women have experienced at least one type of controlling behavior from their husband or wife in their lives.
Parental culture, harmful traditions, government inaction and lack of public education and communication drive the knowledge of parenthood and sex underground. People in Turkmenistan consider abortion to be such a bad thing that women tend to keep quiet. This also applies to domestic violence which is rampant in the country. Women and girls are taught that it is a private matter that should not be discussed in public but respectfully endured in silence.
Most government regulations are given orally, without legal approval. This creates an opportunity for corruption, misinterpretation and ideas, not only on public health but also on all aspects of economic and social life.
Turkmenistan’s anti-abortion law undermines the rights, dignity and health of half of the population, preventing them from accessing essential reproductive health care. In 2015, the government enacted a law banning abortions for only five weeks. Before 2015, women in Turkmenistan were allowed access to abortion services up to 12 weeks.
Abortion law also exacerbates health inequalities: Women with wealth can circumvent the restrictions and have abortions, but women with low incomes and less responsibilities cannot afford to circumvent these restrictions and have no means of doing so.
Research shows that restricting access to abortion drives it underground and makes it unsafe. The law was adopted without public consultation on the medical, ethical, legal and financial implications, and was made public in 2022. Our calls for cooperation with the Ministry of Health have been silent.
Saglyk has created a safe space to anonymously share stories of domestic violence, abuse and harassment. Our Bilim program helps women and girls track their periods and learn about their health and rights (Bilim means full time and information).
But these efforts are not enough to bring about a change in our culture, so in the last two years we have been actively involved in international organizations. We call on organizations that give or lend money to the country to hold the government accountable for its international efforts in the area of gender equality and how it is used.
In this way, we can make sure that tomorrow we do not wake up to a new law that will again restrict the rights of Turkmen women and girls to have dignity and equality.
