In 2010, the Government of Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the UNHCR, adopted an Action Plan to reduce and Eliminate the Problem of Statelessness in Turkmenistan. The plan aims to identify and register all persons with problems with documents, assist them in applying for citizenship / residence permits, take legislative measures to review and amend relevant national legislation, and adhere to the conventions on the reduction of statelessness. Turkmenistan joined the Conventions on the Reduction of Statelessness in 2011 and 2012. In order to complete the current cases of statelessness and introduce appropriate measures to prevent and reduce statelessness, the Government of Turkmenistan, with the assistance of UNHCR, has developed a National Action Plan to Address the Problem of Statelessness (2018-2024).
Refugees
This project aims to provide direct support and protection, covering the legal, medical and social needs of all refugees, through social assistance.
Keyik Okara works in the direction of providing assistance to refugees. Vulnerable mandate refugees who, for physical or psychosocial reasons, are unable to support themselves need support, especially in matters of livelihood and housing. Detailed criteria for the provision of such assistance have been developed by UNHCR and are described in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The purpose of the project is to provide legal assistance, to facilitate naturalization of mandated refugees within the competence of the UNHCR, who have a need for financial and medical services.
In this regard, assistance is provided to refugees in the following areas::
(1) Legal Assistance-Keyik Okara lawyers coordinate the status of submitted refugee documents for obtaining citizenship/residence permit;
(2) medical assistance-referring the most needy refugees to the competent health care institutions and covering the associated medical expenses;
(3) social assistance-provided to refugees, paying special attention to children and their parents, including maintenance of an established database on the most vulnerable refugees;
Provide free consultations to refugees, represent their interests in all administrative bodies, law enforcement and executive bodies of the state, and provide legal assistance to refugees on local integration and relevant laws;
Persons without citizenship
Since 2011, Keyik Okara has focused on individuals with documentation problems, statelessness, and those at risk of becoming stateless. This project aims to prevent and reduce statelessness in Turkmenistan.
The public organization “Keyik Okara” carries out its activities to provide legal advice and assistance to stateless persons in Ashgabat and the Akhal Velayat.
The aim of the project is to make progress in reducing statelessness in Turkmenistan, as well as to bring the legislative and political systems in line with internationally recognized norms and standards on statelessness.
Stateless persons and persons with undetermined citizenship live in various localities throughout Turkmenistan. Most undocumented persons live in rural areas.
Within the framework of the project, the NGO “Keyik Okara”, in cooperation with the lawyers of the NOC of Turkmenistan in the velayats, prepares official documents for submission to the consular departments of the embassies of the CIS countries to determine the citizenship status of undocumented persons. After receiving confirmation of the citizenship status, lawyers prepare documents for further submission to the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan.
