Sahiba Gafarova: Women are in particularly vulnerable situation amid global conflicts, wars and humanitarian crises

Currently, women are in a particularly vulnerable situation as the world faces a number of conflicts, wars, and humanitarian crises, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) Sahiba Gafarova said, Report informs.

Speaking at the 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland, Gafarova that in many places, women suffer from violence, displacement, and loss of social security means, education, healthcare, and protection opportunities:

"Also, as years pass, conflicts further deepen existing gender inequality and erase achievements in the field of women's rights. Women lose not only their physical security but also the opportunity to realize their potential as full participants in socio-political life."

Noting that women in Azerbaijan know this bitter truth well, the speaker recalled that in the early 1990s, the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territories by neighboring Armenia resulted not only in the complete destruction of these territories but also in ethnic cleansing, forced displacement of the population, and a humanitarian crisis, with approximately 1 million of Azerbaijani compatriots becoming refugees and internally displaced persons.

According to Gafarova, 52 percent of them were girls and women. These women lost their homes, families, and security.

She also said that Azerbaijan was a country that granted women the right to vote in 1918, ahead of most European countries, and stated that the country is committed to ensuring women's rights and their active participation in all areas of public life. It was noted that in this sense, former internally displaced and refugee women are no exception.

The speaker noted that after Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity in 2020, it has been successfully implementing measures related to the restoration of liberated territories and the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands. Today, more than 50,000 people live, work, and study in these territories. Women play an active role in creating socio-economic infrastructure, in the operation of educational and medical institutions, and in implementing initiatives for sustainable development and restoration of cultural heritage in the liberated territories.

Gafarova further stated that the draft National Action Plan on Ensuring Gender Equality under consideration reflects issues such as ensuring employment for women returning to liberated territories, increasing their digital skills, conducting research to identify their needs, and other matters.

She emphasized that 1.5 million mines planted by Armenia still remain a major obstacle to the work being done. Azerbaijani women also participate in demining activities, which require the involvement of significant human and financial resources.

At the end of her speech, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova once again underscored that despite all difficulties, it is impossible to build a sustainable world without the participation of women. The active involvement of women in processes not only helps reduce the risks of violence but also creates a solid foundation for long-term development, she concluded.

The summit was attended by nearly 350 delegates, including women speakers from 29 countries and women leaders of several international organizations.