Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova addressed the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians held today in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
This was reported to elchi by the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis.
In her speech on the topic “Progress towards parity: Overcoming obstacles created by gender stereotypes and negative social norms,” Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that such events clearly demonstrate the importance of international cooperation—the significance of exchanging ideas and sharing best practices—noting that the problems discussed today are not limited to a single country or region.
The Chair of the Milli Majlis stated that while a number of important achievements have been made, there are still problems that need to be overcome. According to her, the most difficult of these problems are the stereotypes and social norms that limit women’s personal development. The Chair of the Milli Majlis said that legislation alone cannot ensure the desired results. For this, a more systematic and comprehensive approach based on a mindset encompassing the entire society is needed. To change stereotypes and social norms, the mindset of society must first change. Societies should be encouraged to accept equality between women and men as a fundamental value.
In her speech, the Chair of the Milli Majlis provided information on the work being done in Azerbaijan towards gender equality and increasing the representation of women in all spheres of life. It was brought to attention that the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan enshrines the equal rights of women and men, and the Law “On Guarantees of Gender Equality (between men and women)” adopted in 2006 formed the legal framework in this area. One of the important steps taken towards forming the institutional foundations of gender policy was the creation of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs in 1998.
The Chair of the Milli Majlis particularly emphasized that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, important measures have been implemented in Azerbaijan to combat domestic violence, eliminate discrimination, expand women’s education and employment opportunities, and promote their empowerment. An important point is that these results achieved in Azerbaijan are sustainable and reflect our state’s consistent policy aimed at ensuring gender equality.
Chair of the Milli Majlis addressed the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians in Belgrade
