Excerpts from the Speech of The Honorable Hijran Huseynova

Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear participants, it is a great honor for me to speak in front of you at such an unique and esteemed International Women’s Conference. I would like to use this opportunity in order to extend my gratitude for the invitation to be among you. This type of International Conference signifies the victory of long years of dominating, stereotypes and gives hope and confidence to most women all over the world.

The topic of our session is very actual. What we observe in world today is violence, conflicts, sufferings and hardships. Women and children are first who suffer most of all. How could we find a balance and harmony in the changing world? Certainly nobody tells to change the basis of the society, despite differences in nationalities and religions each of us could make an effort in preserving peace all around by using our vision. We must learn how to respect and start such a dialogue when everyone can talk and listen to each other. Women could play an active role in this process. I would like to inform you about the development challenge hopes and expectations of Azerbaijan women. Already in 1980 Azerbaijan women got equal political rights with men. Even so the development has faced different types of difficulties. The initial period of independence was connected with beginning of military aggressions against Azerbaijan, as a result of which we have thousands of ruined human lives. Women who left their homes and lost their children. Azerbaijan women tried to use tradition of casting head scarf as a symbol of mercy between two fighting parties to prevent blood shed and hostility. But this tradition has not worked during escalation of modern conflicts. These women could withstand the war and loss of relatives. Out of one million of our citizens who left their native lands 156000 refugees and 300,000 of internally displaced persons are women.

A great work is being carried out today for the re-integration into the society. Despite of all difficulties and hardships Azerbaijan government has created favourable conditions for promoting gender balance in employment, health, education and economic and social policy. For elimination of discrimination against women government has reviewed its laws, policies, programs to ensure that they don’t in any way deny equal enjoyment by women of their civil, political, economic and social cultural rights.

We should remember that they could not make any change by using violence. Violence leads to more violence. Society itself should be open change and necessity of the implementation. For example we conducted country wide campaigns and public debates before adoption of such important laws as law on gender equality, law on combating domestic violence and law on amendment of family court to bring the age on marriage as 18 for both men and women and amendment to the criminal court on prohibition and early and forced marriages.

There was misunderstanding and kind of resistance to some reforms in gender policy as a first stage now there is a change in public perception of the existing problems. Today as a result of the well balanced International social economic policy in our country we have become a strong independent state. In order to resolve women’s problems several state programs with gender components have been approved in Azerbaijan. For example the state program on poverty reduction and sustainable development, the development concept Azerbaijan 2020 the vision of future, the national program for action to raise effectiveness of the protection of human rights, state program on Azerbaijan youth, national strategy on combating domestic violence. They are all aimed at ensuring and protecting and promoting the rights of the women and achieving their full development and advancement. This program contains a set of measures aimed at ensuring women’s employment including fostering women’s entrepreneurship while application of flexible forms of work for women for better reconciliation of family and career and simulation on their work and economic sector.

All these measures have added to the economic independence of women. In spite of the special mentality of our women and their closeness to their family and children Azerbaijan women are becoming economically independent and have an opportunity to participate actively in the public and political life. Today women in Azerbaijan have all the opportunities provided by the state, to easily obtain education, rise to professional levels and actively participate in social and political process. They are widely represented in such areas as politics, entrepreneurship skills, health care, sports, army, and national security and law enforcement bodies. Women are more and more involved in the decision making process and state bodies. The participation of women amongst state officials, professors, teachers and staff of high educational institutions, doctors, entrepreneurs, sports women and even Olympic champions is great. The support of the First Lady in our country is very big help to us, alongside with her important missions and being a prominent public figure, she conducts a number of projects in the field of assisting indigent people especially women, children and the elderly.

What is the role that a woman plays in the modern Azerbaijan society today? They are very active, it is very hard in such a short time to have a full picture of Azerbaijan women but if you ask me what makes the living of a Azerbaijan women today my answer is that today all women in the planet want to live in peace and harmony and dream of prosperity and well-being of their families. They want to see their children healthy and happy. Let us work together and change this world.

Thank you very much for your attention and thank you very much for a speech without the shoes and it is very comfortable, thank you.