Women in Turkmenistan

Last updated

Women in Turkmenistan comprise 50.8% of the country's population. [1] They generally have assigned roles in society and reduced rights compared to men. Study of women's rights in the country is made difficult by government censorship and lack of reliable, official data.

Contents

Under Article 18 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, women are guaranteed equal rights to men. [2] In practice, however, they face routine political and societal discrimination. Women are not allowed to form independent women's organizations, and all such organizations must be registered under the Women's Union of Turkmenistan. [3] They make up 16.8% of the country's Parliament. Most women work in the home, as mothers or homemakers, or in the markets as sellers. [4] Though the country's Islamic roots are several centuries old, Turkmen women never were and are not required to wear a face covering. Turkmen women have always been more outspoken and more socially active than women in neighbouring countries.

Background

Women in Turkmenistan Female Visitors, Merv (5730558119).jpg
Women in Turkmenistan
Location of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan on the globe (Eurasia centered).svg
Location of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia. Throughout the centuries, the territory of present-day Turkmenistan has been subjected to numerous civilizations, such as Persian empires, the conquest of Alexander the Great, Muslims, Mongols, Turkic peoples, and Russians. Throughout most of the 20th century it was part of the Soviet Union, until its fall in 1991. As with other former Soviet states, in the 1990s the economy collapsed and the country experienced social problems. Today, Turkmenistan is about half urban and half rural; its population is largely Muslim (89%), but there is also a significant Eastern Orthodox minority. [5] The total fertility rate is 2.09 children born/woman (2015 est.). [5]

During the Soviet period, women assumed responsibility for the observance of some Muslim rites to protect their husbands' careers. [6] Many women entered the work force out of economic necessity, a factor that disrupted some traditional family practices and increased the incidence of divorce. [6] At the same time, educated urban women entered professional services and careers. [6] After the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, traditional values began to reassert themselves. This had led to increasing numbers of women confined to the home and dependent on their male counterparts. [7]

Cultural role

Cooking is the main field of work for women. Neighbours or relatives sometimes arrive unasked to assist in housework, or they may bring their own household tasks to work on together and socialize. Food preparation is done in the open air as well as in in-house kitchens. Tasks such as smoking meat and popping corn, are done by men and often turn into a social opportunity. [8] [ full citation needed ]

Men and women might sit and eat in one place, but they are segregated during social occasions. Some women carry on the practice of wearing a yaşmak, head scarf, in the initial year after they are wed. The wife clenches the corner of her scarf in her teeth to show a significant barrier toward the male guests and to show respect to her parents-in-law. The scarf also stops her from communicating. The wife may stop covering her head with a yaşmak after a year of her wedding, after the birth of her first born, or by a decision within the family. [9] [ full citation needed ]

Practices

Teke carpets

The world famous Teke carpets have been created by the Turkmen tribe 'Teke', handmade with a pure wool.

Akhal-Teke horses

One of the best horses in the world, known for beauty and stamina.

Clothing

Women are garbed in ankle-length garments of silk or velvet, which are commonly a mix of bright oranges, purples, yellows, blues, and greens. The necklines are embellished with elaborate gold-thread needlework that drops down, decorating the neckline right to the navel. [10] Richly decorated headwear, jewelry and embroidery accents are a part of their routine. [11] [ full citation needed ] Face covering is not required by law. [4]

Work

Manufacturing of ketene, a homespun silk, persists largely as a cottage skill. Garments prepared from ketene are worn by both men and women. Costumes made from ketene are used as a customary bridal dress. [11] [ full citation needed ] The embroidery on the garments reveal various patterns that are exclusively known as a family hallmark, distinguishing the family of its maker. [11] [ full citation needed ] Skilled Turkmen women use antique weaving looms known as tara, which were adopted in the ancient times. [12] [ full citation needed ]

Turkmen teachers and healthcare workers are primarily women. [13] Job cuts in both these sectors, however, have led to a dramatic rise in unemployment for both men and women.

Marriage

Article 25 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan requires mutual consent for marriage. [2] Both individuals must also be above the age of 18. Turkmen marriages feature numerous unique customs and rituals. Turkmen wedding dresses are often richly decorated and covered in silver-colored pendants which are believed to drive away evil spirits. [14]

Violence against women

Turkmen women are outspoken and have never covered their faces.

Political influence

Women comprise 16.8% of the Turkmen Parliament, and domestic law guarantees women the right to political participation. However, the actual participation of women in government is stifled by the curtailing of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Turkmenistan</span> Aspect of history

The history of Turkmenistan traditionally began with the arrival of Indo-European Iranian tribes around 2000 BC. Early tribes were nomadic or semi-nomadic due to the arid conditions of the region, preventing widespread adoption of agriculture. The steppe culture in Central Asia was an extension of a larger Eurasian series of horse cultures which spanned the entire spectrum of language families, including the Indo-Europeans and Turko-Mongol groups. Some of the known early Iranian tribes included the Massagatae, the Scythians/Sakas, and early Soghdians, who were most likely precursors of the Khwarezmians. Turkmenistan was a passing point for numerous migrations and invasions by tribes, which gravitated towards the settled regions of the south, including ancient Mesopotamia, Elam, and the Indus Valley civilization.

Turkmenistan has a state-controlled press and monitored communication systems. Turkmenistan's telecommunications services are considered to be the least developed of all the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. Overall, the telecom market in this predominantly rural country is relatively small but has been trying boldly to expand in recent years. The state-owned Turkmen Telecom has been the primary provider of public telephone, email and internet services, and through a subsidiary has been operating a GSM mobile network in competition with a private mobile operator, BCTI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashgabat</span> Capital of Turkmenistan

Ashgabat or Asgabat, formerly named Poltoratsk between 1919 and 1927, is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, near the Iran-Turkmenistan border, and it has a population of 1,030,063.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akhal-Teke</span> Turkmen horse breed

The Akhal-Teke is a Turkmen horse breed. They have a reputation for speed and endurance, intelligence, and a distinctive metallic sheen. The shiny coat of the breed led to their nickname, "Golden Horses". These horses are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds. There are currently about 6,600 Akhal-Tekes in the world, mostly in Turkmenistan, although they are also found throughout Europe and North America. Akhal is the name of the line of oases along the north slope of the Kopet Dag mountains in Turkmenistan. It has been inhabited by the Tekke tribe of Turkmens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkmenistan</span> Country in Central Asia

Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. It is one of the six independent Turkic states. The population is about seven million and is thus the lowest of the Central Asian republics, and Turkmenistan is one of the most sparsely populated nations in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkmen language</span> Oghuz Turkic language of Central Asia

Turkmen, sometimes referred to as Turkmen Turkic or Turkmen Turkish, is a Turkic language spoken by the Turkmens of Central Asia. It has an estimated 5 million native speakers in Turkmenistan, and a further 719,000 speakers in northeastern Iran and 1.5 million people in northwestern Afghanistan, where it has no official status. Turkmen is also spoken to lesser varying degrees in Turkmen communities of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and by diaspora communities, primarily in Turkey and Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Region</span> Region of Turkmenistan

Mary Region is one of five provinces in Turkmenistan. It is located in the south-east of the country, bordering Afghanistan. Its capital is the city of Mary. Its area is 87,150 km2 (33,650 sq mi) and population 1,480,400. The average population density is about 15 persons per square kilometer, but it reaches 150–200 per square kilometer in the most developed oases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human rights in Turkmenistan</span> Overview of human rights in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan's human rights record has been heavily criticized by various countries and scholars worldwide. Standards in education and health declined markedly during the rule of President Saparmurat Niyazov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkmens</span> Oghuz Turkic ethnic group of Central Asia

Turkmens are a Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia, living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern regions of Iran and north-western Afghanistan. Sizeable groups of Turkmens are found also in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the North Caucasus. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Eastern Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Turkmenistan</span> Pattern of human activity and symbolism associated with Turkmenistan and its people

The Turkmen people have traditionally been nomads and equestrians, and even today after the fall of the USSR attempts to urbanize the Turkmens have not been very successful. They never really formed a coherent nation or ethnic group until they were forged into one by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s. Rather they are divided into clans, and each clan has its own dialect and style of dress. Turkmens are famous for making knotted Turkmen carpets, often mistakenly called "Bukhara rugs" in the West. These are elaborate and colorful hand-knotted carpets, and these too help indicate the distinctions among the various Turkmen clans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of Turkmenistan</span> National emblem of Turkmenistan

The State Emblem of Turkmenistan was created after Turkmenistan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retains some components of the Soviet one such as the cotton, wheat and rug. The eight-point green starburst with golden edges features in its center a red circular disc which carries sheaves of wheat, five carpet guls, and centered upon that a smaller blue circle with a lifelike depiction of former President Saparmurat Niyazov's pet Akhal-Teke horse Yanardag, a source of pride for the Turkmen people. A round variant of the emblem was used from 1992 until 2003, when President Saparmurat Niyazov proposed to change its appearance and said that the ancient Turkmen octagon has been considered to be a symbol of abundance, peace and tranquillity.

Turkmenization is the set of domestic policies the Niyazov administration used in Turkmenistan from 1991 to December 2006 to force ethnic minorities to adopt Turkmen culture. Those who resisted the state-sponsored cultural transformation were often deported.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow</span> Turkmen politician (born 1957)

Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow, also known as Arkadag, is a Turkmen politician who is currently the chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan. He previously served as the 2nd President of Turkmenistan from 2006 to 2022, when he entered into a power-sharing arrangement with his son, Serdar, the current president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saparmurat Niyazov</span> 1st president of Turkmenistan (1940–2006)

Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, also known as Türkmenbaşy, was a Turkmen politician who ruled Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. He was first secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party from 1985 until 1991 and supported the 1991 Soviet coup attempt. He continued to rule Turkmenistan for 15 years after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of Turkmenistan-related articles</span>

The list of Turkmenistan-related articles is below

The major modern Turkmen tribes are Teke, Yomut, Ersari, Chowdur, Gokleng and Saryk. The most numerous are the Teke.

Turkmenistan is a country with large potential for an expanded tourism industry. Many of its Central Asian cities were main points of trade on the Silk Road, linking Eastern and Western civilizations. Many neighboring countries promote their countries based on their location along the Great Silk Road. Tourism has grown rapidly in recent years. Tourists from abroad are deterred by the restrictive visa policy regime with all countries of the world. Tourism is regulated by the Tourism Committee of Turkmenistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teke (tribe)</span> Turkmen tribe in Turkmenistan

Teke is a major and politically influential tribe of Turkmens in Turkmenistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkmen literature</span> Literature of the Turkmen people

Turkmen literature comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Old Oghuz Turkic and Turkmen languages. The Turkmens are direct descendants of the Oghuz Turks, who were a western Turkic people, who formed the Oghuz branch of the Turkic language family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghan Turkmens</span> Turkmen diaspora living mostly in the north-west of Afghanistan

Afghan Turkmens or Turkmens of Afghanistan live in the north-west of Afghanistan along the border with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, surrounded by a larger group of Afghan Uzbeks. The number of Turkmens in Afghanistan is estimated at 1 million people or roughly 2-3% of the population of Afghanistan.

References

  1. Index Mundi. "Turkmenistan Demographics Profile 2014." 30 June 2015. Index Mundi. Web. 30 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Constitution of Turkmenistan". www.uta.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  3. "NHC: Women second-class citizens in Turkmenistan". Human Rights House Foundation. 2012-09-26. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  4. 1 2 "Turkmenistan: For Women, Mostly Traditional And Difficult Lives". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  5. 1 2 "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . Turkmenistan: A Country Study. Federal Research Division. March 1996. Social structure.
  7. "Turkmen Women Suffer in Silence". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  8. Genté, Régis. "Second-class citizens." 17 June 2013. Chronicles of Turkmenistan. Web. 30 October 2015.
  9. Countries and their Cultures. "Turkmenistan." 2015. Countries and their Cultures. Web. 30 October 2015.
  10. Walker, Shaun. "Turkmenistan: Stranger in a very strange land." 23 October 2011. Independent.co.uk. Web. 30 October 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 Central Asia Cultures. "Enjoy Fascinating Cultures of the Silk Road." 2014. Central Asia Cultures. Web. 30 October 2015.
  12. Traveler.uz. "Turkmen Silk." 2008. Traveler.uz. Web. 30 October 2015.
  13. "TURKMENISTAN". hrlibrary.umn.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  14. Hays, Jeffrey. "MARRIAGE AND WEDDINGS IN TURKMENISTAN | Facts and Details". factsanddetails.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.