A delegation from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Turkmenistan presented its experience of reforming the social assistance system at an international forum on social work in Dushanbe. This was reported by the news agency Orient.

Participants at the event learnt about Turkmenistan’s approaches aimed at preventing social problems, the early identification of risks and the provision of targeted support to families and children.

As part of the implementation of the Law ‘On Social Services’, the country is developing training programmes for social workers, pilot support programmes at local level and inter-agency cooperation between relevant services.

The forum also featured measures to develop juvenile justice and psychosocial support. A pilot project in Ashgabat demonstrated mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution, rehabilitation and the social reintegration of minors. It is planned to roll out these approaches across all regions of the country in 2026–2027.

The forum was organised by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan with the support of UNICEF. It was attended by representatives from Central Asian countries, Austria, Iran and Japan, as well as UN agencies, academic institutions and civil society organisations.