Turkmenistan’s state-controlled media systematically and aggressively reinforces restrictive gender norms while ignoring pressing women’s issues and the modern realities of women and girls. These narratives and practices do not only contradict the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) but they also undermine progress toward gender equality by perpetuating harmful stereotypes and silencing discussions on women’s rights.
The Saglyk editorial team monitored online media news portals throughout 2024 and identified that programs and public messaging continued to glorify traditional values and gender norms while avoiding discussions on domestic violence, gender equality, reproductive and sexual health and rights. The government continued its pronatalist messaging.
Discrimination against women and girls in Turkmenistan
In February 2024, Turkmenistan underwent the sixth periodic review by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It ratified the Convention in 1997. The Committee acknowledged some limited government efforts to promote gender equality such as educational campaigns aimed at addressing stereotypes. However, it expressed serious concerns about ongoing restrictions on women’s freedoms and the widespread reinforcement of discriminatory gender norms in the media.
CEDAW highlighted several troubling practices in Turkmenistan:
- pressure on women and girls to conform to rigid stereotypes regarding women’s image and behavior;
- restrictions on their freedom to travel or drive, and
- stereotypical portrayals of women in media.
In its concluding observations, the CEDAW Committee recommended eliminating such restrictions, creating a media code of conduct to promote positive and diverse portrayals of women and girls, and developing a comprehensive strategy to dismantle patriarchal attitudes. It also urged the government to involve civil society in raising awareness about the harmful impact of gender stereotypes.
Overview of the media freedom in Turkmenistan
The government of Turkmenistan is known to be one of the most tightly controlling regimes when it comes to media. State-run TV and radio relentlessly attempt to ensure that the official narrative dominates public discourse. Reporters Without Borders has called Turkmenistan “a news and information black hole”.
Access to international news, opposition websites or social media platforms are heavily restricted, and the Internet is both expensive and slow, leaving the majority of the population digitally and media illiterate. In 2012, a Media Law was adopted, outlining the principles of state policy regarding mass media and prohibiting censorship and interference in media activities. The law explicitly bans unjustified distortion of journalistic content, pre-approval of materials by authorities, and any influence aimed at forcing biased reporting. It also prohibits the creation of entities for pre-controlling information, restricting access to media equipment, and obstructing journalists’ lawful work. However, in 2024 Turkmenistan’s media remains as “one of the world’s most closed”.
1. Aggressive promotion of traditional gender roles via “traditional values”
The government actively disseminates messages designed to enforce traditional gender roles under the guise of preserving cultural identity. Women and girls in the media are portrayed as modest, self-sacrificing caregivers, tasked with embodying “Turkmenness” for the next generation.
The government often organizes competitions aimed at women and girls, ostensibly to promote cultural heritage but in practice reinforcing conservative gender roles. These contests, which include embroidery contests, wool felt carpet-making, and displays of cooking and dressing skills, are framed as celebrations of tradition. Additionally, competitions for girls focus on promoting so-called “good manners”, growing long hair, and embodying traditional values, effectively narrowing the perception of women’s roles to domestic and aesthetic contributions.
In August 2024, an internet portal on culture, business, news and entertainment in Turkmenistan and a UNDP partner Turkmenportal launched a series of video content titled “Hazyna” (“treasure” in Turkmen) to inform and promote national traditions. The videos are 10-15 minutes long and published on YouTube and on the Turkmenportal website. In each segment, the journalist who is a woman lectures about a specific cultural practice or tradition that she claims traces back to our ancestors and is still sacred to us therefore mothers have to pass these traditions to their children.
- In the first video titled “Salamlaşmak edebi” (“greeting etiquette”), after describing different greeting practices for men, women and children in the Turkmen culture, the speaker advises women and girls to avoid shaking hands with everyone in gatherings, emphasizing that, in the Turkmen culture, it is essential for women and girls to conduct themselves modestly and politely in public spaces.
- Another video called “Gelin-gyzyň görki saç” focusing on the beauty of women and girls’ hair claims that “a girl child’s beauty is enhanced by her manners, modest demeanor, softness and correctly braided long hair”. The speaker ends her lecture by inviting all women to carry nationalism like a flag and to instill national values in their children.
- One more women-focused lecture “Ýaşynmak edebi” (“mouth covering etiquette”) from the segment describes ýaşmak (traditional covering of the mouth by married women) as an ‘unchangeable custom.’ The speaker asserts that girls with a modest upbringing adopt this practice in their in-laws’ home after marriage, serving their in-laws with kindness and respect. She urges women to continue covering their mouths as a mark of modesty and cultural adherence. The video heavily relies on references from other sources, such as state-sponsored films, historical photography (primarily from the late 19th to mid-20th century), and artwork. These portrayals often depict women wearing the ýaşmak (veil), an image that does not reflect the everyday lives of contemporary Turkmen women. Instead, these representations construct a highly idealized and sanitized image of womanhood, reinforcing outdated or state-sanctioned narratives rather than offering a realistic depiction of modern female experiences in Turkmenistan.
- In these videos by Turkmenportal, there is a lot of comparison between female and male behavior and representation. Most of the time men and women are shown separately, men living in their own world and women in theirs. The videos intentionally reinforce traditional gender roles, blend historical and modern depictions, and potentially distort reality. These are all tools of propaganda designed to manipulate people’s consciousness and behavior.
2. Normalization of domestic violence and femicide
Despite the pervasive issue of domestic violence in Turkmenistan, there are neither comprehensive laws and regulations in place nor messaging or public education on the topic in the media. Instead, the state messaging and government propagandist artists, such as Myratgeldi Mollayev (known as Myrat Molla), perpetuate harmful ideas that enable domestic violence. With about half a million followers on Instagram alone, he is one of the most popular entertainers in the country. In one of his short films that explores emotional impact of divorce on kids, Mollayev conveys that women should endure violence “for the sake of their children”, reinforcing the absence of legal protections or psychological support for survivors. This rhetoric places the burden of preserving family unity squarely on women, even at great personal cost. Despite this, the short film received over 300 Likes and over 200 positive comments on YouTube in less than three months.
In a recent tragic case, a young woman in Turkmenistan died under suspicious circumstances, officially explained as a suicide. However, her mother, a migrant worker living abroad, suspects her daughter was a victim of violence and has been speaking through independent media outlets outside the country. Despite her efforts to seek justice, state-controlled media has completely ignored the incident, reflecting a broader pattern of silence on issues of domestic violence and femicides. This absence of coverage underscores the government’s unwillingness to confront or address systemic abuse against women and girls.
3. Misinformation and unscientific explanations
Similarly, misinformation is propagated in place of science. A seemingly educational video from Turkmenportal, for example, inaccurately describes pregnancy. Beyond failing to credit any sources, it claims a baby grows in “clean water” within the mother until “God wills it to come out”, reflecting outdated and misleading narratives about reproductive health. The video reinforces traditional gender roles by suggesting that understanding what is considered normal for newborns is the responsibility of mothers and by exclusively depicting mothers caring for babies. There are no images of fathers as caregivers.
It is important to note that pro-governmental media Turkmenportal and UNDP have signed an extension of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period of 2024-2026 to reinforce their collaboration towards advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and specifically SDG 5, gender equality and commitment to eliminate discrimination and gender stereotyping.
Commenting on the collaboration, the General Director of Turkmenportal, Guvanch Nurmyradov said “Partnering with UNDP is an important step for “Turkmenportal” in supporting Turkmenistan’s development goals. This collaboration allows us to leverage our platform to raise awareness, engage the public, and contribute to the country’s progress”.
Gaps in Media Coverage
The government has failed to propose policies and models that could serve as a foundation for progressive gender equality. Therefore, there is a noticeable lack of science-based educational content addressing critical issues such as women’s and girls’ health and gender equality.
The state and pro-governmental media is distorting women’s realities in their media portrayals by enabling harmful stereotypes and fostering an environment where women and girls in Turkmenistan are not encouraged to pursue diverse roles in their society.
