On May 23, 2022, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs (SCFWCA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the UK Government opened a new Women’s Resource Centre in Barda. 

The event was attended by the Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs Bahar Muradova, the British Ambassador to Azerbaijan James Sharp, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. Charu Bist, and Head of Barda Executive Power Vidadi Isayev.

Before the event, the delegation visited the memorial to Heydar Aliyev in Barda and laid flowers at his monument.

Then, the representatives met with the Head of the Executive Power of the Barda, Vidadi Isayev.

The new Women’s Resource Centre located in Barda was opened as part of the “Empowering and creating equal opportunities for vulnerable, conflict affected women in Azerbaijan to overcome barriers towards greater economic and social participation (ECEO)” project implemented by UNDP in partnership with SCFWCA and with the support of the UK Government. The project’s long-term goal is to increase the resilience of conflict-affected women to conflict and trauma. It aims to serve vulnerable women, refugees and IDPs, local executive authorities and municipalities; private sector businesses and local communities, government institutions responsible for family, children and women affairs, labour and social protection, private sector, businesses and local communities.

“Established as part of a joint project with our international partners, this Women's Resource Centre will support the implementation of activities for vulnerable, conflict-affected women, as well as help increase their employment, knowledge and skills. We will continue our activities in this area” – said Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs Bahar Muradova.

“We believe that Women’s Resource Centres will become a platform for change bringing together women from different backgrounds. Services offered in Women’s Resource Centres will increase professional skills of women and contribute to the female entrepreneurship” – said British Ambassador to Azerbaijan James Sharp.

The new Centre in Barda builds on the successful model of 15 Women Resource Centres implemented by UNDP and the SCFWCA in the regions of Azerbaijan since 2011. The main mission of these Centres is to help strengthen rural women’s entrepreneurial skills and advance their competitiveness in the labour market, empowering them to overcome the many socio-economic challenges faced by women living in rural areas.