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 Speaker of House of Representatives of National Assembly of Republic of Belarus
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 15 October with Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Igor Sergeenko who is visiting in our country.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia Hun Manet
The delegation led by Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Hun Manet, in our country on an official visit, came to the Milli Majlis on 14 October.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with President of Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 13 October with the delegation led by President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith who is in Baku on an official visit for the upcoming Summit Meeting of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets Prime Minister of Tajikistan
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with the visiting delegation led by Prime Minister of Tajikistan Qohir Rasulzoda on 25 September.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Georgia
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with the delegation visiting in our country and led by Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Nino Tsilosani on 25 September.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets newly-appointed Ambassador of United Kingdom in our country
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met the newly-appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in our country Duncan Norman on 23 September.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets new ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with the new ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Azerbaijan Dirk Lölke on 23 September.
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Speaker Sahiba Gafarova presides over co-ordinating meeting of Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network in Tanzania
A co-ordinating meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network (NAMPA) took place on the margins of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in the town of Arusha of the United Republic of Tanzania on 8 October.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova speaks in generate debate at IPU Assembly
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova took the floor at a meeting of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in the city of Arusha within the framework of her working visit to the United Republic of Tanzania.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova attends opening ceremony of IPU 153rd Assembly
The opening ceremony of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union has taken place in the town of Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova addresses APA co-ordinating meeting
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova spoke at the co-ordinating meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in the course of her working visit to the United Republic of Tanzania to participate in the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova takes part in co-ordinating meeting of OIC Parliamentary Union
As we have already reported, a delegation of Azerbaijan led by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova is on a working visit to the city of Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania to take part in the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova arrives in United Republic of Tanzania on a visit
A delegation of Azerbaijan led by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova arrived in the United Republic of Tanzania on a working visit on 3 October to take part in the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with president of UN General Assembly’s 81st Session
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met in NYC with the President of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly Khalilur Rahman as part of her working visit to the USA.