SPEAKER OF THE MILLI MAJLIS
Sahiba Gafarova
- Welcoming address
- Bio
- Meetings
- Travels
I welcome you to the website of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In the Republic of Azerbaijan, legislative power is exercised by the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Milli Majlis consists of 125 Members. The term of office of each parliamentary convocation is 5 years.
The seventh convocation of the Milli Majlis was formed following the elections held on 1st September 2024. Representatives of 11 political parties were elected to the unicameral 125-seat Parliament. The majority of the parliamentary mandates are held by members of the New Azerbaijan Party, the leading political force in society.
Among the MPs there are prominent political and public figures, scholars as well as specialists and figures in literature and culture. 26 Members of Parliament are women. The Milli Majlis operates 15 committees, 3 commissions, 1 initiative group and 103 working groups for relations with the parliaments of foreign countries.
The Milli Majlis established the Chamber of Accounts of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the performance of the parliamentary function of budgetary control.
Every year, the Milli Majlis hears reports, presentations and information submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Chamber of Accounts, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman), the body responsible for administrative oversight of local authorities and the National Co-ordinator of the prevention of the trafficking in humans as well as relevant executive bodies overseeing gender equality enforcement.
The activities of the Parliament of Azerbaijan rest on the principles of openness and transparency; the website displayed for your attention is one of the manifestations of those principles. I feel certain that the information available at the website will allow you to become better acquainted with the activities of the Legislative Assembly of Azerbaijan.
Sahiba GAFAROVA
Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Elected Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the 6th convocation on 10 March 2020 and of the 7th convocation on 23 September 2024.
Born in the town of Shamkir. Graduated with first-class honours the Russian Language and Literature Faculty of the Azerbaijan Paedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature, and the English Philology Faculty of the Azerbaijan University of Languages. PhD Philology, Professor. Distinguished Teacher. Decorated with the ‘Sharaf’ Order and the Medal of Honour of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Was honoured with the ‘Unity’ Order and the Medal ‘For Strengthening Parliamentary Co-operation’ of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the ‘Druzhba’ Order of Russia, the State Order ‘For the Contribution to Development of Co-operation’ of Turkmenistan as well as the Honorary Diploma and Medal of the University of Warsaw. Honorary Professor of the L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan and the Belarusian State University. Authored various textbooks and educational manuals, monographs and dozens of scientific articles. Proficient in Turkish, English and Russian.
Secondary school teacher in the town of Shamkir during 1978–1981. During 1981–2020, a laboratory assistant, teacher, senior teacher, Associate Professor, Professor and Head of the European Languages Department as well as Prorector for International Relations (pro bono during 2010–2020) at the Baku Slavic University. Also, Dean of the Western Languages Faculty at the Western University during 2000–2004.
Worked at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan via the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Scholarship programme in 2006.
Member of the New Azerbaijan Party.
Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th convocations.
Deputy Chairwoman of the Milli Majlis Family, Women’s and Children’s Affairs Committee in 2015–2020.
Member of the Delegation of Azerbaijan to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe during 2010–2020 and, within the same entity, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Racism and Xenophobia in 2012-2013, the Gender Equality Subcommittee in 2014–2015, Political Co-ordinator of the ‘Women Free from Violence’ Network and General Rapporteur on combatting violence against women in 2015–2017, and Chairwoman of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons and Member of the PACE Bureau in 2016–2018. Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in 2018- 2020.
Head of the Delegations of Azerbaijan to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation currently.
Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation Member States.
Married, with 2 children.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Prime Minister of State of Palestine Mohammad Mustafa
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 16 July with Prime Minister of the State of Palestine Mohammad Mustafa who is visiting in our country.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with President of Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 15 July with President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini who is in our country on an official visit.
A videoconference meeting is held between Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova and President of Pan-African Parliament
A videoconference meeting was held between Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova and the President of Pan-African Parliament Fateh Boutbig on 13 July.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Head of Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 13 July with Member of the British Parliament and Head of the Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group Bob Blackman.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba addresses high-level international event themed ‘Parliamentary Dialogue on Digital Governance’
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has participated in the high-level dialogue themed ‘Parliamentary Dialogue on Digital Governance’ organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the United Nations Development Programme, and hosted by the International Telecommunication Union within the frameworks of the WSIS Forum 2026.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Address Inter-Parliamentary Union videoconference ‘Protection of the Natural Environment in Armed Conflict’
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova delivered a speech at the videoconference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union themed ‘Protection of the Natural Environment in Armed Conflict’ on 9 July.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of Parliament of Republic of Zimbabwe Jacob Mudenda
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Zimbabwe Jacob Mudenda who is in our country on an official visit.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Visits the State of Qatar
A delegation of Azerbaijan led by the Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova visited the State of Qatar on 14 July in order to offer condolences on behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan to the Emir of the State of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the passing of the former Emir of the State of Qatar, the Father Emir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova takes part in farewell ceremony for Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
The delegation of Azerbaijan led by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova arrived in the Islamic Republic of Iran on a visit on 3 July in order to take part in the farewell ceremony for the former Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova held a number of meetings on the sidelines of IPU Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has held a number of meetings on the sidelines of the IPU Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova visits monument of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in Belgrade
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova who is in the Republic of Serbia on a working visit visited the monument of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev installed in the Tašmajdan Park of Belgrade.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of National Assembly of Serbia in Belgrade
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia Ana Brnabić in the course of her working visit to the country.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova addresses the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians in Belgrade
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova delivered a speech at the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union that was held in the capital city of Serbia Belgrade on 2 June.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova arrives in Republic of Serbia on a working visit
A parliamentary delegation led by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova have arrived in the Republic of Serbia on a working visit to take part in the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.