Turkmenistan state officials gain expertise on protecting freedom of religion or belief while promoting security at ODIHR training event in Warsaw

State officials from Turkmenistan gained expertise on protecting freedom of religion or belief while promoting security at a train-the-trainer course organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights(ODIHR) in Warsaw from 11 to 14 July 2017. 

The main focuses of the training for 16 officials working on religious affairs and security issues were international standards and the national legal framework on freedom of religion or belief; the state’s responsibility to respect, protectand facilitate the enjoyment of this right; the gender dimension of freedom of religion or belief and security; and protecting human rights while countering terrorism.

“The respect for human rights, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, is an integral part of the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security,” said Kishan Manocha, ODIHR Senior Adviser on Freedom of Religion or Belief. “Within this framework, freedom of religion or belief is linked to the building of positive peace and security.  There is, therefore, no dichotomy between freedom of religion or belief and security.” 

The course provided the participants with the knowledge, training skills and encouragement to deliver the training curriculum in Ashgabat, jointly with ODIHR, as part of a series of capacity-building activities on freedom of religion or belief in Turkmenistan for state officials, civil society organizations and religious or belief communities. The activities are scheduled to begin this autumn.  

“ODIHR warmly welcomes the excellent co-operation with the Government of Turkmenistan that our Office enjoyed in the organization of this seminar,” said Katarzyna Gardakhpadze, ODIHR First Deputy Director. “Such capacity-building activities are key to advancing freedom of religion or belief for all, and ODIHR looks forward to implementing further such activities in Turkmenistan in the coming months.” 

The event in Warsaw was the first organized within the framework of the two-year ODIHR project on “Promoting security and social cohesion through advancing freedom of religion or belief for all in Central Asia”.