The State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
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IV "Children's Book Festival" Held in Baku
On April 10, 2025, the 4th Children’s Book Festival was held with the joint organization of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Culture, and the “Azerbaijan Publishers Association” Public Union (ANAIB). The festival began with the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, followed by a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs who gave their lives for the homeland. In his opening speech, Shamil Sadiq, the Chairman of ANAIB welcomed the participants and spoke about the development of children’s publishing in Azerbaijan over the past four years. He emphasized the growing interest of publishers in the festival and expressed his delight at the active participation of children. He highlighted the role of books in shaping children's intelligence, broadening their worldview, and supporting their mental development. Ms. Bahar Muradova, the Chair of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, greeted the festival participants—especially the children—and wished them success. She recalled the rich history and proud past of the Azerbaijani people, stating: “Today, Azerbaijan is rising from its Victory, moving toward a brighter and more magnificent future. This future is growing today within our families, represented by our children who symbolize our hope for tomorrow. The children of Victory are preparing for new achievements.” Speaking on the importance of festivals that promote reading and foster a love of books among children, B. Muradova praised the efforts made to ensure the continuity of such events and thanked the organizers. “When authors, publishers, and printing houses collaborate to hold these kinds of events, it makes a significant contribution to inter-agency cooperation. Through this, we establish strong connections between educational institutions, families, and society,” she added. Calling books the closest and most valuable creation of humankind, B. Muradova emphasized that loyalty to books is also a reflection of loyalty to oneself and one's values. She addressed the importance of the content of children's books and the values and knowledge they convey. She stressed the need to ensure that these books are age-appropriate and psychologically suitable, especially considering that children’s exposure to information begins at an increasingly early age. Ms. Elnara Akimova, Member of Parliament noted in her speech that book festivals have become a tradition in the country over the past ten years. She emphasized that reading should become a way of life for everyone, and festivals play a vital role in achieving this goal. She stated that the Children’s Book Festival, now in its fourth edition, aims to support children's development and education. “Through this festival, children interact with books, meet writers, and experience books as a form of entertainment.” She also highlighted the recent trend of including age restrictions on book covers, emphasizing the importance of this age labeling. Ms. Mehriban Valiyeva, the another Member of Parliament, expressed her satisfaction with the continuity of the Children's Book Festival and noted that over the course of the four days, children would enjoy a joyful and engaging celebration centered around books. She pointed out that one of the most important aspects of the festival is the inclusion of book donation boxes, which help develop a book-buying culture among children by showing them they can purchase books even with a small amount of money. M. Valiyeva appealed to parents, urging them to serve as role models by reading books at home. She emphasized the critical role of parents and such festivals in instilling a love for books in children, especially at a time when social media has become a dominant part of children’s lives. The festival continued with musical performances by children. It should be noted that the four-day festival will feature the sale of thousands of children’s books at discounted prices, presentations by renowned authors, book signing sessions, entertaining puppet shows, intellectual masterclasses, fun competitions, reading hours, and theatrical performances for children.
A side event on the topic “Baku Climate Coalition – Green Transition for SMEs: Empowering Women” was held at the UN
Within the framework of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) a side event hosted by Azerbaijan was held at the UN Headquarters in New York. The roundtable was organized under the topic “Baku Climate Coalition – Green Transition for SMEs: Empowering Women.” The event was jointly organized by Azerbaijan's Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA), the Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Permanent Mission of the OIC to the United Nations. The event discussed the empowerment of women and the adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the green transition, with additional information shared about Azerbaijan's socio-economic development and the reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories. The roundtable was moderated by Atilla Karaman, a representative of the SESRIC. The event featured speeches from Zahra Zumrut Selchuk, Director-General of SESRIC and former Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Services of Turkey; Ambassador Tofiq Musayev, Azerbaijan's Permanent Representative to the UN; Rufat Atakishiyev, Deputy Chairman of the SMBDA; Jeyran Rahmatullayeva, Head of the Apparatus of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs; Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN South-South Cooperation Office (UNOSSC); Ambassador Hamid Ajibaiye, Permanent Observer of the OIC to the UN; as well as representatives from UN bodies and accredited NGOs. Jeyran Rahmatullayeva, Head of the Apparatus of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs, stated that one of Azerbaijan's five national priorities for socio-economic development by 2030 is being recognized as a “Clean Environment and Green Growth Country.” She discussed the reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories and the transformation of the region into a green energy zone, highlighting the construction of new settlements based on the "Smart City" and "Smart Village" concepts. She also mentioned that last year Azerbaijan declared the “Year of Solidarity for a Green World.” Furthermore, she emphasized that the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs has conducted training in the fields of economics and management for women as part of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality. She pointed out that, as a result of policies focused on human capital development, women have become more actively integrated into society and state affairs. Currently, women constitute 48% of the total workforce in Azerbaijan, and female entrepreneurs make up 23%. Rufat Atakishiyev, Deputy Chairman of the SMBDA, noted that the strategic framework plays a crucial role in enhancing women's economic opportunities and increasing their economic activity in an inclusive and socially just society. He also added that the Joint Declaration on the Green Transition, adopted within the framework of COP29 by the Baku Climate Coalition, discusses the role of SMEs in global economic development and the importance of supporting them in the transition to a green economy. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN South-South Cooperation Office (UNOSSC), Hamid Ajibaiye, Permanent Observer of the OIC to the UN, and Zahra Zumrut Selchuk, Director-General of SESRIC, all discussed the importance of SME development, the role of women, and the implementation of the goals set during COP29 in this regard.
An "Open Door" day has been held in the regions
“Open Door” was organized day by Agdam, Shuvaylan, Saatly, Sabirabad, Hacıqabul, Gabala, Ismayilli, Goranboy, Goygol, Zagatala, and Zardab, Child and Family Support Centers operating under the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs with the participation of psychologists and social workers on January 31, 2025 The “Open Door” day was held on a mobile basis in the villages and towns of Turkan (Khazar district of Baku), Qasimbayli (Agdam district), Tapgaragoyunlu (Goranboy district), Navahi (Hacıqabul district), Gushgara (Goygol district), Boyuk Piralli (Gabala district), Gunashli (Ismayilli district), MircAlalkənd (Saatly district), Garalar (Sabirabad district), Lahıc (Zagatala district), and Alvand (Zardab district). During this event, people were able to access services from the centers, including psychological consultations, family relationship management, alimony issues, medical treatment, legal aid, social benefits, employment assistance, and improving living conditions. Additionally, to detect and prevent early developmental delays in children, the staff of the centers conducted the Denver II developmental screening test. During the “Open Door” day, citizens’ requests were listened to, and relevant support was provided to address their concerns.
February 2nd is Azerbaijan Youth Day
Dear youth, we congratulate each of you on the occasion of February 2nd - Azerbaijan Youth Day and wish you a successful life journey.
Legislation regarding domestic violence has been improved
The process of improving normative legal acts in the field of preventing domestic violence in the Republic of Azerbaijan continues. Specifically, on January 27, 2025, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan approved the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Amendments to the Law on "Prevention of Domestic Violence." New amendments have introduced procedures for reviewing complaints about domestic violence when there are no signs of a criminal offense. The following procedures have been established: 1. When reviewing a complaint about domestic violence, a short-term protection order will be issued within 24 hours, and the complaint will be reviewed within 5 days; 2. At the request of the victim, the participation of a lawyer and a psychologist in the hearing will be ensured. If the person does not know the Azerbaijani language, the right to use translation services will be provided; 3. If the victim of domestic violence is under the age of 16 or a person with disabilities, the participation of a pedagogue or psychologist in the investigation and hearings will be ensured; 4. Based on the new amendments, one or more of the following decisions will be made, depending on the results of the review of the domestic violence complaint:
A specially designed photo stand featuring photographs of exemplary families is being displayed
In order to promote family values, preserve and pass down national and spiritual values to future generations, and present them to society, the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs regularly carries out various social projects and awareness-raising events. As part of these ongoing efforts, and with the goal of promoting family values and traditions, fostering patriotism in children, and expanding awareness in these areas, a specially designed photo stand featuring photographs of exemplary families from various regions of the country has been created. The photo stand, installed in the Zarifa Aliyeva Park in the Ismayilli district under the initiative of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs, has been warmly welcomed by the local residents.
The chairperson of the committee has met with the head of the UN Population Fund's Country Office
On January 28, 2025, Ms. Bahar Muradova, the chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs, met with Mr. Farid Babayev, the head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Office. During the meeting, Ms. Bahar Muradova emphasized the collaboration between the State Committee and UNFPA, discussing the outcomes of ongoing projects and expressing confidence that these initiatives would continue in the coming years. Ms. Muradova highlighted that the concept of gender equality is based on equality between women and men. She also emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to achieving gender equality and pointed out the need to increase the role of men in projects aimed at this goal. She addressed the issue of gender-based selection of children before birth, calling it a form of domestic violence and stressing the importance of preventive measures in this area. She noted that many issues are resolved within the family framework and added that strengthening family bonds and preserving family values could help solve the problem of domestic violence in a healthy and constructive way. In her speech, Ms. Muradova also mentioned the development of the National Action Plan on Domestic Violence for the upcoming years and discussed proposals and recommendations related to Azerbaijan’s accountability process under the CEDAW. Mr. Farid Babayev, the head of the UNFPA country office, spoke about the successful collaboration with the Committee in ensuring gender equality and combating domestic violence. He highlighted joint initiatives, such as the training sessions aimed at strengthening the capacity of Gender-Based Violence Monitoring Groups from 2020-2023 and the operation of the “860 Support Line” for gender-based violence. He also drew attention to the work done from 2018-2023 in collaboration with the Committee to combat gender imbalance among children. The UNFPA representative discussed ongoing projects and proposed several ideas for future collaboration with the Committee. The results of the cooperation within the framework of the UNFPA Country Programme for 2021-2025 were discussed, and recommendations for the new Country Programme (2026-2030) were shared, followed by an exchange of views.
A meeting was held in the Fuzuli district with the aim of preparing for the municipal elections
The next meeting within the framework of the "Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Elections" project, organized jointly by the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs, the Central Election Commission, and the Coalition for Equal Development, was held in the Fuzuli district. At the event, Ms. Tarana Karimova, the chairwoman of the Coalition for Equal Development, spoke about the state policy on women initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev and successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev. She highlighted that women in Azerbaijan today are successfully represented in various fields. She also invited women to actively participate in the upcoming municipal elections, scheduled for January 29, 2025. Ms. Xatira Dadashova, the secretary of the 84th Fuzuli District Election Commission, provided information on the election preparation process and procedures, emphasizing the importance of women's active participation. Following the presentations, suggestions were heard, and participants’ questions were answered.
The next event on the topic of "Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Elections" was held in the Sabirabad district
The next event on the topic of "Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Elections" was held in the Sabirabad district. In her speech, Ms. Tarana Karimova, the chairwoman of the Coalition for Equal Development, emphasized the importance of women being active in all areas of public and political life. She invited women to actively participate in the upcoming municipal elections, which will be held in our country in a few days. Following her, Mr. Mastalı Nuriyev, the chairman of the 67th Sabirabad District Election Commission, provided information about the election preparation process and procedures. He also emphasized the significance of women's active participation in public and political life. At the end of the event, suggestions were heard, and questions from participants were answered. It is worth noting that the event was organized jointly by the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs, the Central Election Commission, and the Coalition for Equal Development.
