On July 10, an event marking World Population Day was held at the "Yyldyz" hotel in Ashgabat. The event was organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) office in Turkmenistan.

Guljemile Annaniyazova, Deputy Chairperson of the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan, delivered a report outlining the work being carried out in the country to improve demographic statistics.

According to her, a study on the population's reproductive attitudes was conducted in Turkmenistan during April and May of this year, based on a specially developed methodology designed to examine families' desires and intentions regarding the number and timing of children, as well as the factors hindering the realization of these intentions. Ananiyazova noted that the study results would serve as the basis for developing long-term demographic forecasts and a strategy for demographically sustainable development.

A household time-use survey is also being prepared in the country; it will make it possible to estimate the volume of unpaid care and domestic work, disaggregated by sex, age group, and place of residence—aligning with SDG indicator 5.4.1. As the speaker explained, this indicator is particularly important for countries in Central and East Asia, where a significant proportion of women are engaged in unpaid domestic work—such as caring for children and elderly relatives and managing the household. The survey aims to reflect the economic significance of this work without automatically interpreting it as a manifestation of gender inequality.

Annaniyazova emphasized that the listed measures directly contribute to the implementation of Turkmenistan’s national priorities—including the country’s long-term and medium-term socio-economic development programs—and enable a more effective response to demographic, economic, and environmental changes.

She also noted UNFPA’s contribution to strengthening the capacity of the State Statistics Committee—including the organization of training programs for committee staff involving international experts both domestically and abroad—as well as its support for Turkmenistan’s participation in international and regional initiatives regarding population statistics.