New York, 1 February 2023 (TDI): The Outcome Document of the Annual Meeting of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus was published as a part of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
It is pertinent to note that the Annual Meeting took place in Ashgabat on December 10, 2022. The main goal of the Caucus is to increase women’s contributions to sustainable development and the upkeep of peace and security in the Central Asian region.
The representatives of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan formed the Caucus; an informal coalition, with assistance from the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy & the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Representatives from the participating nations reaffirmed their dedication to the Decade of Action to Achieve the Global Goals, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.
Additionally, they expressed their readiness in the document, to support the Central Asian region’s adoption of these normative frameworks and look for strategies to maximize the potential of the women living there.
Caucus became a permanent, unofficial structure with its own institutions and legal framework in 2022. It has increased its collaboration with nations and international organizations, and it is now a serious advocate for gender equality.
It has been established as an effective forum for the exchange of ideas & experiences as well as for the promotion of global best practices to empower women & girls and increase their level of participation in the political, socioeconomic, cultural, & humanitarian life of society.
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While Turkmenistan was the Caucus’ chair, a number of activities took place that had a big impact on the growth of intra- and interregional cooperation on issues like gender equality, sustainable development, and peace and security in Central Asia.
These activities include the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus meeting, a regional virtual meeting on climate change with a focus on gender and water management, and a conversation between women from the states of Central Asia and Russia.
Likewise, Turkmenistan also oversaw an international festival of embroidery, the first gathering of the International Community of Needleworkers, & the regional preparatory conference for the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Aside from the above, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Women’s Forum, the 14th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, and the participation of the Caucus in the session of the UN Peacebuilding Commission were also part of the activities.
Furthermore, forums on women & water, the role of women parliamentarians in advancing the global agenda for women, peace, & security, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals were among these occasions.
In short, the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus established itself as a powerful forum for advancing gender equality, sustainable development, and international peace and security in the region.
The participating nations are devoted to cooperating with one another in order to realize these objectives, and the Caucus has proven to be a serious advocate for these significant issues.
To advance the rights of women and ensure the long-term development of the Central Asian region, the Caucus will keep cooperating closely with nations and international organizations.
