Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Praises Azerbaijan's Gender Policy Feat At Regional Forum

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17.​ Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova discussed Azerbaijan's experience and achievements in gender policy during her speech at the 2nd Women Political Leaders Forum (WPLF) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (WAIPA) in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, the parliamentary press service told Trend .

Gafarova emphasized that Azerbaijan is fully committed to protecting women's rights and ensuring their active participation in decision-making.

She recalled that Azerbaijan granted women the right to vote in 1918, ahead of many European countries, and noted that in the September 2024 elections, women secured 26 of the 125 parliamentary seats, marking an increase compared to previous terms.

Gafarova highlighted that female deputies now participate in most parliamentary committees, ensuring their perspectives are considered in legislative discussions. She also outlined Azerbaijan's active role in international parliamentary organizations, presenting initiatives to strengthen cooperation on women's issues and supporting global gender-related agendas.

The speaker noted that the Women Parliamentarians Group of the Turkic States Parliamentary Assembly (TURKPA) was established during the Ninth Plenary Session held in Baku in 2019. As the current chair of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), she proposed creating a Women's Commission within the Assembly, which is now under discussion among member parliaments.

Gafarova also highlighted the active involvement of Azerbaijani women deputies in various parliamentary organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Women Parliamentary Forum and the Gender Partnership Group.

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