May 16, 2025 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Mr. Klaus Beck, was on a mission to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from May 12-16, 2025. During the mission, Mr. Beck participated in the Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC) 2025 and engaged in meetings with national and development partners to advance UNFPA's agenda on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and youth empowerment.
CACCC 2025, organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan, focused on "Achieving the Global Climate Finance Goal through Regional and National Actions in Central Asia". The conference aimed to foster regional dialogue and collaboration to strengthen climate resilience in Central Asia.
UNFPA emphasizes that globally, addressing climate change is crucial for achieving the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which promotes the rights of individuals to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. In Central Asia, where climate change poses significant challenges, there is a need for regional collaboration to address its impacts on vulnerable populations, including women and young people.
During the conference, Mr. Beck participated in a panel discussion that explored climate justice issues, focusing on the principles of Just Transition, social inclusivity, economic equity, and support for vulnerable communities. In this context, he focused on the long-lasting impacts of climate change (extreme heat, air quality, climate-related natural disasters) on the health and well-being of women and girls and their sexual and reproductive health and rights, including adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Mr. Beck also provided recommendations for adaptation actions to mitigate these impacts, linking them to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 and COP30 processes to align regional efforts with the global climate agenda and agreed climate commitments.
Additionally, Mr. Beck addressed the critical intersection of climate change with SRHR, gender equality, and youth empowerment. The Deputy Regional Director highlighted UNFPA's mission in Turkmenistan, where climate change, particularly extreme heat, poses risks to SRHR, maternal and newborn health. UNFPA recognizes the urgent need to research and reduce the impact of climate change consequences. He also noted that climate change in Turkmenistan has significant implications for population dynamics and demographic resilience.
"The climate crisis is not gender neutral; it disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable in Central Asia. To effectively address this issue, it is urgent to integrate aspects of reproductive health and gender-based violence into the Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans to enhance resilience and ensure that no one is left behind. UNFPA is committed to supporting these important efforts," added Mr. Beck.
Beyond his participation in CACCC 2025, the Deputy Regional Director held meetings with UNFPA’s national partners and development partners. Discussions focused on strengthening UNFPA's strategic partnerships and exploring further opportunities for cooperation in Turkmenistan. The mission's program also included visits to health service facilities, including the Scientific and Clinical Center for Maternal and Child Health "Ene Mähri" and Health House No. 10 in Ashgabat, to observe the effectiveness of UNFPA's cooperation in the field of reproductive health.
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About UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. The Agency's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA promotes gender equality and empowers women, girls and young people to make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures. The Agency works with partners in more than 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. UNFPA's goal is ending unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal death, and gender-based violence and harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030. https://www.unfpa.org/; https://turkmenistan.unfpa.org/en
About CAREC and CACCC 2025:
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is an independent, non-political and non-for-profit international organisation with regional mandate to assist the Central Asian governments, regional and international stakeholders in addressing environmental and sustainability challenges across Central Asian region and Afghanistan. The Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC) is a regional platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Central Asia. CACCC 2025 focused on achieving the Global Climate Finance Goal through regional and national actions. The conference builds on the foundation laid by previous CACCC events, with CACCC 2024 focusing on "Bridging Climate Goals with Action: Making Ambitions a Reality".
https://carececo.org/en/main/
For more information: Kemal Goshliyev, Head of UNFPA Office in Turkmenistan, goshliyev@unfpa.org; +99312488326
