BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 27. Azerbaijan’s Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova participated in the 2nd session of the Women Parliamentary Forum (WPF) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) in Abu Dhabi during her working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), TurkicWorld reports.
In her opening remarks, Gafarova described the Assembly as a platform for dialogue, solidarity, and mutual understanding. She emphasized that the Assembly’s focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment reflects its ongoing commitment to collective action and achieving shared goals.
Gafarova highlighted Azerbaijan’s official application for observer status in the PAM, expressing confidence that support for the request would open new opportunities for closer cooperation and more effective joint initiatives. She also underlined Azerbaijan’s interest in strengthening ties between the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network, currently chaired by the Azerbaijani Parliament, and the PAM.
Furthermore, Gafarova noted that the Assembly’s representative participated in the 4th conference of the Parliamentary Network in Tashkent last April, underscoring Azerbaijan’s interest in strengthening institutional ties. She said that granting mutual observer status and signing a cooperation agreement between the two bodies would significantly advance the shared goals of parliamentary diplomacy.
Stressing the importance of the forum’s theme, the Speaker noted that gender equality and women’s empowerment are recognized as essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. She emphasized that meaningful progress requires international cooperation alongside national efforts, as challenges in this area are global in nature.
She emphasized that these challenges are global, requiring coordinated international action alongside national efforts. Real progress, she added, depends on changing societal mindsets to embrace the inherent equality of women and men, as the full participation of women is essential to building strong, sustainable societies.
Speaking to participants about the state of gender equality in Azerbaijan, Gafarova highlighted the central role of women in Azerbaijani society. Rooted in strong family and cultural traditions, women have long shaped the family, the smallest unit of society, and passed values to future generations. Women have consistently been recognized as equal partners and have played a decisive role in national development. Gafarova recalled that the first secular school for girls in the Muslim world opened in Baku in 1901, and women gained the right to vote in 1918, underscoring Azerbaijan’s historic commitment to gender equality. Today, women are active across politics, economics, science, education, healthcare, and diplomacy, holding leadership positions in legislative and executive bodies, the judiciary, and international representation. The adoption of the National Action Plan for Gender Equality for 2026-2028 continues these sustained efforts.
The Speaker emphasized the proactive role of the Azerbaijani Parliament in advancing gender equality through legislation, citing that 53 draft laws on gender equality and family policy were discussed in the last convocation, accompanied by 17 public hearings. Female deputies serve in the majority of parliamentary committees, ensuring their voices shape policy outcomes. She also highlighted Azerbaijan’s strong commitment to international cooperation in promoting women’s empowerment and expressed hope that the forum’s discussions will translate into tangible progress, reinforcing social solidarity, stability, and sustainable development in the region.
