(MENAFN- AzerNews) On February 22, 1998, the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who
always guided the human rights factor as the main criterion in his
practical activities, issued the Decree "On Measures in the Field
of Ensuring Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms", as well as taking
into account the goals and tasks arising from it, signed the decree
on the approval of the "State Program for the Protection of Human
Rights" on June 18, 1998.
Provisions related to the creation of an authorized human rights
ombudsman institution in Azerbaijan were reflected in these
documents for the first time, and after that, on the initiative of
the National Leader, the Constitutional Law dated December 28, 2001
"On the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was
adopted.
This year, 25 years have passed since the approval of that State
Program, which was the first strategic document in which the
provision of human rights was defined as one of the main directions
of state policy.
According to the Decree of the Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev dated June 18, 2007, when the State Program was approved,
June 18 was established as Human Rights Day in the Republic of
Azerbaijan. This significant day has been widely celebrated in
Azerbaijan for more than 15 years, and it is highly appreciated by
the society as a bright manifestation of the high value attached to
human rights by independent Azerbaijan.
The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan traditionally declares "Human Rights
Month" in Azerbaijan from May 18 to June 18 every year. This is to
strengthen activities in the field of protection and promotion of
the rights of everyone, regardless of their social and legal status
- the families of martyrs, war veterans, persons with disabilities,
children, the elderly, refugees, former internally displaced
persons, migrants and other vulnerable groups of the population,
and to inform the public about the successes achieved, to serve the
purpose of informing, defining the tasks ahead, to develop legal
thinking and legal culture in the society, to draw attention to the
need to fight against discrimination, corruption, violence, and
harmful habits.
As the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic
of Azerbaijan, in connection with the upcoming significant day,
declaring May 18 - June 18 as "Human Rights Month" in Azerbaijan,
the state and local self-government bodies, scientific,
educational, medical and cultural institutions, civil society
institutions, including trade unions, non-governmental
organizations and the media, actively join our initiative and
organize a series of awareness-raising events on various topical
issues dedicated to human rights and the Sustainable Development
Goals.
At the same time, I invite everyone to actively participate in
the free legal aid campaign announced by the Office of the
Ombudsman jointly with the UN representation in Azerbaijan and the
Bar Association for socially vulnerable population groups starting
today.
Within the framework of this Monthly, which coincides with the
100th anniversary of the birth of the National Leader Heydar
Aliyev, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the 25th anniversary of the approval of the "State
Program for the Protection of Human Rights", various educational
events on human rights, printing materials, social I believe that
activity will be shown in the work of further increasing attention
to the issues of restoration of violated rights by preparing
videos, promoting this topic in the media and social networks,
promptly considering applications, I express my thanks in advance
for the contributions to be made.
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