Forced Participation of Children in Mass Events in Turkmenistan: UN Committee Again Expresses Concern

Forced Participation of Children in Mass Events in Turkmenistan: UN Committee Again Expresses Concern The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has once again drawn attention to the problem of children in Turkmenistan being compelled to participate in festive, state-organized, and other mass events. According to Progres.online, citing the Committee’s position, concern remains over children’s participation in such events both during school hours and outside them. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to end the practice of forcibly mobilizing schoolchildren and students for festive events, especially during school hours, as this interferes with children’s right to education. This is not a new problem in Turkmenistan. For many years, the participation of schoolchildren and students in state celebrations, ceremonies, rehearsals, official welcoming events, and other mass gatherings has been reported by independent media and human rights organizations. Of particular concern are situations in which such participation effectively ceases to be voluntary. No child should have to fear consequences at school or another educational institution for refusing to participate in an event that is not directly related to the educational process. Education Must Not Give Way to Mass Events The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Turkmenistan is a State Party, recognizes every child’s right to education. The State is also obliged to protect the dignity, health, and well-being of children and to take their best interests into account in decisions affecting them. The Dayanç Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement / Turkmenistan emphasizes that state and cultural events may, in themselves, form part of public and school life. However, participation must be voluntary, children’s right to education must be respected, and any form of coercion or pressure must be excluded. It is particularly unacceptable to systematically remove children from classes for lengthy rehearsals and events that are not an essential part of the educational curriculum. We believe that the authorities of Turkmenistan must ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: end the forced participation of schoolchildren and students in mass events during school hours, guarantee that participation is genuinely voluntary, and eliminate any form of pressure or punishment for refusing to participate. Schools must, first and foremost, remain places where children learn, develop, and feel safe, and children’s rights and interests must not be treated as secondary to the organization of public events.