Mar 8, 2018 - Our country has a proud history in providing enabling environment for women to play ... established in Bak
AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASININ ATƏT YANINDA DAİMİ NÜMAYƏNDƏLİYİ
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN TO THE OSCE
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Statement by the Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan 1178th Meeting of the Permanent Council, 08 March 2018 On International Women Day Mr. Chairperson, The Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan welcomes Ambassador Melanne Verveer, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender, to the Permanent Council and thanks for her remarks. At the outset, I wish to congratulate Ambassador Verveer and our distinguished colleagues, women diplomats on the occasion of International Women Day. Back in 1999 at the OSCE Istanbul Summit the participating States declared that “The full and equal exercise by women of their human rights is essential to achieve a more peaceful, prosperous and democratic OSCE area.” Indeed, only with equal rights, women can have more important roles in contributing to comprehensive security in all its three dimensions. Azerbaijan reaffirms our commitments and obligations under international instruments to eliminating all gender based discrimination and creating equal opportunities for women and men. Our country has a proud history in providing enabling environment for women to play an important role in society. The first ever secular school for girls in the Muslim world was established in Baku in the beginning of the XX century. Azerbaijan was the first country in the Muslim world granting women the right to vote as early as in 1918. This tradition of equality persisted in our society after Azerbaijan regained its independence and currently, is among the top priorities of State policy. The State Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs was established and gender focal points were appointed in almost all Governmental structures, as well as in the executive institutions in all regions of Azerbaijan. The Government adopted a number of policies which strived to increase women’s participation in political and other spheres of public life. As an example, currently 52% of staff members of MFA are women. The representation of women in the National Assembly has increased from 11% in 2005 to 17% in 2015. The proportion of women appointed to key government positions has also significantly increased in recent years. Economic independence of women is one of the key components of their active participation in political and public life. In this respect, the Government pays special attention to the economic 1
empowerment of women by implementing projects, and allocating loans and support to the development of women businesses, especially in rural areas. As a result of adopted measures, the poverty rate among women decreased from 49% to 5,9% in recent years. Azerbaijan, with close to 300 thousands internally displaced and 156.000 refugee women, attaches particular importance to the protection of these vulnerable groups that have suffered the most as a result of ongoing conflict in our country, and allocates adequate resources to meet the needs of these groups, particularly through providing income-generating and education opportunities for them and their children. In view of existing OSCE commitments, we wish to reiterate the importance of paying due attention to the needs and concerns of these vulnerable groups in the activities of OSCE Institutions and Executive Structures. In this regard, we would like to thank Austrian Chairmanship for holding the conference on “Gender Dimension of Internal Displacement” last December, which we believe can serve as a good base for future activities to that end. Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.
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