Eurasian Coalition for Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity (ECOM), founded in 2011, is an international non-governmental association based in Tallinn, Estonia, working in the field of rights and health of LGBTQ+ communities (term) in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region.
One of the ECOM’s current projects is Country Maps is a tool that reflects the human rights situation in the EECA region, covering such areas as legislation, cases of human rights violations, homophobia level and other indicators. The Country Maps provide, although limited, some insight into the situation in Turkmenistan, as well as other Central Asian (CA) countries.
Internal Homophobia
According to the Country Map, Internal Homophobia (IH) level measured 1 out of 7 in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, compared to 2.5 and 2.6 in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan respectively. ECOM’s 2018 study on Internalized Homonegativity found generally low levels among participants across countries, but as it indicated likely underestimated actual levels since men struggling with their sexuality were less likely to participate in such a survey. The study identified consistent patterns: bisexual men showed higher internalized homophobia than homosexual men, being more “out” correlated with lower levels, and religiosity associated with higher levels in about half the countries studied. Turkmenistan was not part of the study.
Among CA states, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan completely lack data regarding the HIV care cascade for men who have sex with men (MSM) in EECA. Neither country provides information on antiretroviral therapy uptake, viral suppression rates, or MSM knowledgeable status. No data is available from either country on key indicators including HIV prevalence among MSM, Hepatitis B and C rates, and syphilis infections. Both countries also lack data on HIV awareness, HIV testing coverage in the previous 12 months and condom use during last anal intercourse among MSM.
In addition, the Country Map provides information on advocacy, legal issues, health, anti discrimination, family and civil society rights in relation to LGBTQ+ communities in Turkmenistan.
Below is an overview of the key areas of concern from the Country Map on Turkmenistan.
Criminal and Anti-Discrimination Laws:
- Homosexuality is criminalized since 1998, with consensual relations between men punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment;
- Constitution prohibits discrimination broadly but lacks specific Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity protections;
- No anti-discrimination legislation that applies to LGBTQ+ people and no separate law protecting people living with HIV.
HIV Policy:
- Only two HIV cases officially recognized since 1989, effectively denying the epidemic;
- HIV transmission criminalized despite official denial of HIV’s existence;
- Immigration prohibited for people living with HIV;
- Limited rights to test results and education access for HIV-positive children;
- No MSM-specific restrictions for blood donation.
Gender Identity:
- No procedures for medical or legal gender transition, and concepts of “gender identity” and “medical sex reassignment” absent from legislation;
- No regulations for changing gender markers in official documents;
- No data on medical protocols, psychiatric requirements, or international standards for transgender healthcare.
Family Rights:
- No explicit adoption prohibitions for single LGBTQ+ individuals, transgender individuals, or people living with HIV, while same-sex couples prohibited from adopting;
- Age of consent set at 16 for heterosexual and female same-sex relations;
- Male homosexual relations criminalized regardless of age.
