Muradova: Azerbaijan sees gender equality as integral to social policy

Azerbaijan considers gender equality an integral part of social policy and overall development strategy, according to Bahar Muradova, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, Report informs.

While presenting the report on the activities of the executive authority overseeing gender equality for 2025 in the Azerbaijani parliament, Muradova noted that during the reporting period, legislation on gender equality was improved, institutional mechanisms became more systematic, and the content of activities shifted to a more human-centered and results-oriented stage.

The chairperson highlighted that the annual report for 2025 was prepared in 298 pages, highlighting a major innovation: "For the first time, gender equality policy has been analyzed in an integrated manner with court decisions, media monitoring, higher education programs, and social risk maps. This shows that data-driven decision-making in public administration is strengthening, turning the report into not just a statistical collection but an analytical platform guiding governance."

Addressing social trends and public resilience, Muradova stressed that the dynamics of gender-based and social risk indicators demonstrate the effectiveness of preventive mechanisms applied by the state: "This is reflected in the decrease in complaints, the increase in protection orders, and the expansion of early intervention mechanisms. Statistics presented in the slides on marriage, birth, gender-based crimes, and violations confirm this. For example, indicators on mothers under 18 and early marriages have decreased by nearly 50% in the past three years. This result is not only due to legal measures but also the synergy of the education system, local executive mechanisms, the strengthening of the family institution, and changes in public behavior."

She further stated that changes in the labor market show women's economic activity is steadily increasing, with positive trends in average wages, women's dominance in vocational training, and broader participation in self-employment programs: "This tendency indicates that women prefer a skills-based and sustainable economic model. Equality in labor rights, pension provision, and gender distribution among employed and unemployed populations reflects the current balance in human capital and education transformation. Today, women's majority in higher education, balanced representation at the master's level, and gradual diversification in vocational education demonstrate the qualitative rise of human capital."