BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 4
By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:
Representatives of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan contributed shared very comprehensive information on Turkmenistan’s National Action Plan to end statelessness, the current situation, and progress in the country, as well as upcoming plans and activities, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Trend.
Turkmenistan shared the mentioned information during a joint press briefing for journalists on the occasion of the 6th Anniversary of the global #IBelong Campaign (2014-2024) to End Statelessness, which was held on November 4, 2020, with UNHCR, says the message.
“The briefing provided an opportunity for journalists to learn about efforts to eradicate statelessness, international conventions on reducing and preventing statelessness, and the ongoing efforts of Central Asian states within the #IBelong Campaign,” said UNHCR.
Also, the message touched upon the topic of the COVID-19 effect on stateless persons’ lives in Turkmenistan.
“The Government of Turkmenistan has introduced very early measures to prevent the import of COVID-19 from abroad,” said UNCHR, adding that stateless persons and refugees have been included in Turkmenistan’s Socio-Economic Response Plan as a vulnerable group, requiring special attention in developing response measures to the socio-economic impact of the pandemic
UNHCR also said, that speaking of the global impact of the pandemic on stateless persons, COVID-19 does not discriminate between citizens and non-citizens, so it is more important than ever to ensure inclusion of all in national prevention, response, and recovery strategies.
“Lacking important legal rights and often unable to access essential services, globally many stateless people are now in an even more vulnerable position, as the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated many of the problems and injustices encountered by stateless people,” concluded the message.
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