The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan held the first in a series of educational sessions, “Gender Equality: A Pathway to Peace and Trust”, dedicated to World Tuberculosis Day (March 24). The event took place at the UN building in Turkmenistan and brought together students from the International University of Humanities and Development to explore the intersection of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

During the session, UNDP experts provided insights into the impact of gender inequality on access to healthcare, particularly in tuberculosis prevention and treatment, international best practices and UNDP’s efforts in integrating gender considerations into healthcare in Turkmenistan and the role of young people in fostering inclusive solutions to improve access to medical services.

Students actively participated in interactive discussions and group exercises, where they reflected on the significance of gender equality in different aspects of healthcare, analyzed real-life scenarios to identify gender-related barriers in tuberculosis and non-communicable disease treatment, developed their own initiatives to promote gender-sensitive healthcare, ranging from awareness campaigns to policy recommendations.

Gender-responsive healthcare policies and practices are essential to improving public health outcomes.

Participants left with a deeper understanding of why gender mainstreaming is critical in healthcare and how they can contribute to creating a more equitable and accessible health system for all.