Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has taken part in the Asian Women’s Forum in Samarkand in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

As she was delivering a speech at the forum dubbed ‘Regional Approach in Issues of Women’s Economic, Social and Political Empowerment’, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis said that gender equality and women's empowerment are not confined to one country or one region. Rather, those are the issues of global impact and concern to all of us, regardless of geography.

She said that Uzbekistan, led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, pays attention to ensuring the rights and empowerment of women as one of the most important aspects of international co-operation, and congratulated the Government and Parliament of brotherly Uzbekistan, in particular the Chairperson of the Senate of the Supreme Majlis Tanzila Narbayeva on their successful initiatives.

Then, as she was talking about Azerbaijan's achievements in the field of promoting women's rights, Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova referred to the relevant perceptions in Azerbaijani society. According to her, those are that women are an integral part of our society. Women play an extremely important role in the formation of basic values on which our society is based. The great contribution of our women to political, economic, social and cultural life of the country reflects the approach to their rights in our state.

Sahiba Gafarova recalled that the first secular school for girls in the Muslim World was opened in Baku in 1901. In the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic established in 1918, women were given the suffrage for the first time in the Muslim World, too, and before most European countries. Those facts demonstrate the importance that our society attaches to the role of women in it.

Mentioning the current active participation of women in all spheres of public life and their representation in high posts in Azerbaijan, Sahiba Gafarova added that the significant social and political activity of First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva embodies the valuable contribution of women to the development of our society and country.

Our Constitution guarantees equality of rights and freedoms of every one regardless of their gender. The Gender Equality Law of 2006 provides the relevant legislative platform. Legislative acts reflect the obligations pursuant to the international conventions to which Azerbaijan is a party. The joint activities of the chief state specialised body, namely, the State Family, Women’s and Children’s Problems Committee and the parliamentary Family, Women’s and Children’s Problems Committee provide for efficient interaction between the State and the Parliament. All that as well as other acts, such as national action plans, state support programmes and various presidential decrees presuppose a multifaceted and integrated approach which brings important results in the empowerment of women.

Sahiba Gafarova pointed out as she was talking about the importance of Azerbaijan’s relevant co-operation with international organisations that ‘The United Nations-Azerbaijan Framework for Cooperation on Sustainable Development 2021-2025’ identifies the four priority areas for partnership, two of which are directly related to the sustainable development goal of achieving gender equality.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis told the assembly of the initiative to set up the Women’s Platform of the Non-Aligned Movement which President Ilham Aliyev had proposed during the Azerbaijani presidency in the NAM. She added that the initiative, once fulfilled, would give rise to yet another important women empowerment mechanism. Besides, Azerbaijan has turned into a substantial venue wherein to discuss various aspects of women’s rights. The November 2023 conference ‘Promotion of Women’s Rights and Women’s Empowerment’ of the Non-Aligned Movement as well as the special session of the Global Forum for Intercultural Dialogue which was dedicated to the intercultural prospects of women’s problems had proved important sites for effective activities and an extensive discourse.

Speaking about the large-scale construction and reconstruction works carried out by Azerbaijan after liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said that the former IDPs had already started returning to their homes. One of the priorities of the first state programme ‘Great Return’ is to provide our women with employment opportunities in these areas. State-supported programmes and initiatives have already begun to bear fruit.

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova also mentioned the forthcoming hosting by Azerbaijan of the 29^th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change (COP29). She said it is a great honour for our country to host such a prestigious international event. Azerbaijan is making very thorough preparations for COP29. Ensuring effective participation of women in the Organising Committee of the event shows Azerbaijan's determination to involve women in climate change issues, Mrs Gafarova emphasised.

According to Sahiba Gafarova, it is encouraging that gender equality and women's empowerment remain an integral part of the international political and development agenda – despite all the difficulties and challenges. There are tools and mechanisms that are being widely discussed and adopted, she said, and this is yielding positive results in this area. But any problems and difficulties we face in this process negatively affect the achievements and hinder their further expansion. The COVID-19 pandemic was a prime example of this.

In the opinion of Sahiba Gafarova, the main objective of all steps taken in this area should be to change the perceptions that exist in our societies and thus make the concept of equal rights for men and women a fundamental value. Gender equality and women's empowerment are key issues of human rights and social justice. Moreover, it is indeed difficult to achieve peace, stability and sustainable development without involving women in governance and decision-making processes. Gender equality must be addressed today if we are to make the world a better place to live – for the sake of future generations.

It should be mentioned that the Asian Women’s Forum attended by delegates from many states and governments as well as international organisations began with the welcoming speech of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Then, Speaker of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva, Deputy Secretary General of the UN Sima Sami Bahous and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungong and others shared their views upon the discussed subject.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis