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 2012-2014, 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 and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation.
Married, with 2 children.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Prime Minister of Lithuania
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 9 April with Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Inga Ruginienė who is in our country on an official visit.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Participants of 3rd Meeting of Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Northern Cyprus Parliaments’ Friendship Groups
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with the participants of the 3rd meeting of the Friendship Groups of the Parliaments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Prosecutor General of Supreme Court of Republic of Türkiye Visits Milli Majlis
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 7 April with a delegation led by Prosecutor General of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Türkiye Muhsin Şentürk, currently visiting in our country to discuss inter-institutional co-operation issues.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Ambassador of China to Azerbaijan
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to our country Lu Mei on 16 March.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Inter-Parliamentary Union President Tulia Ackson
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Tulia Ackson who is visiting in our country to take part in the XIII Global Baku Forum.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Mihai Popșoi
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Mihai Popșoi on 6 March.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee of GNAT Fuat Oktay
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Great National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) Fuat Oktay who is visiting in our country with the purpose of taking part in the 10th trilateral meeting of the Foreign Relations Committees of the Parliaments of Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Georgia.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of Senate of Federal Assembly of Kingdom of Belgium
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova, currently in the city of Istanbul of Türkiye, has met with President of the Senate of the Federal Assembly of the Kingdom of Belgium Vincent Blondel on the margins of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Dominican Republic
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress of the Dominican Republic Alfredo Pacheco on the sidelines of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (IPU) held in Istanbul.
President of Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan meets with Speakers of Parliament Participating 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly
President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has met with the Speakers of Parliament who have been taking part in the meeting of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova attended that meeting.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Vice Speaker of Parliament of Venezuela
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Venezuela Grecia Colmenares on the margins of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held in Istanbul.
Speakers of Parliament of Azerbaijan and Armenia Meet in Istanbul
A bilateral meeting of the Speakers of Parliament of Azerbaijan and Armenia was held in the frameworks of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul on 17 April.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova presides over General Debate at 152nd IPU Assembly
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova presided over the general debate held within the framework of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with President of People’s National Assembly of Algeria
During her working visit to the city of Istanbul of Türkiye, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with President of the People’s National Assembly of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.