Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has received the UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan Saja Farooq Abdullah.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova congratulated the guest on the start of her activity in Azerbaijan and expressed a confidence that her efforts as the UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan will contribute to strengthening co-operation between the UNICEF and our country.

It was mentioned that Azerbaijan had built up active co-operation with various UN divisions since joining the Organisation. The co-operation between the UNICEF and our country, too, began from the very first days of our independence and the start of the UNICEF operations in Azerbaijan had turned 30 years in 2023. There are now fine co-operative links between this organisation and various state entities of Azerbaijan – including the Milli Majlis.

Sahiba Gafarova updated Saja Farooq Abdullah on the legislative work done by the Milli Majlis in part concerning the issues of women, family and children. The energetic co-operation between the State Committee for Family, Women’s and Children’s Problems and the corresponding committee of the Milli Majlis was mentioned as well.

What else was mentioned were the 35 laws on children as well as the amendments and addenda to more than 100 laws passed by the Milli Majlis.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis remarked that the Parliament of Azerbaijan had passed a law containing amendments to the Household Violence Law a few days previously. That law provides for the improvement of the legal framework for the discouragement of domestic violence as well as a number of other measures.

Matters related to co-operation between the Parliament of Azerbaijan and the UNICEF were discussed at the meeting as well. A number of undertakings that the Parliament of Azerbaijan had carried into life together with the UNICEF was mentioned. The two sides voiced their shared intention to continue the relevant co-operation in the time to come.

The UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan Saja Farooq Abdullah congratulated the Azerbaijani side on the selection to host the COP29 – the 29^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change. She said that the decision spoke of the high-level recognition of Azerbaijan’s relevant achievements.

Saja Farooq Abdullah said then that Azerbaijan had made considerable successes in the field of the defence of children’s rights. Those achievements also meet the Sustainable Development Goals. The UNICEF intends to continue the co-operation with Azerbaijan to streamline further the defence of children’s rights, according to Mrs Abdullah.

There was an exchange of opinions about other matters of shared interest, too, as the conversation went on.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis