Project name : AZE2P202 - Strengthening of planning and monitoring
tools for gender mainstreaming
Budget: USD 68,700
Timeline: 1 January 2006 – 31 December 2006
What's the situation?
In 1995, Azerbaijan participated in the International Conference
on Women in Beijing, and ratified, with no reservations, the
Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW). The State Committee on Women’s Issues (SCWI)
was established by Presidential Decree in 1998 to elaborate
and implement the Government’s gender policy.
In March 2000, the President of Azerbaijan signed a Decree "On the Implementation of State Policy on Women’s Issues in Azerbaijan". This Decree calls for equal representation of women and men in all state structures of the Republic. In order to implement this Decree, gender focal points were appointed in all governmental structures and in the offices of the executive powers in all districts of the country. The National Plan of Action on Women’s Issues (2000-2005) was elaborated by the SCWI and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in March 2000 and later in 2006 the new Committee on Family, Women and Children Issues have been established.
Unfortunately, none of these institutions were provided with sufficient authority and financial resources to become effective and fulfil their mandates. Although equal rights for both men and women are guaranteed under the Constitution of the Republic as well as in numerous decrees and international treaties subscribed by the country, de facto they are not applied and violations of women’s rights and gender disparities remain widespread in the country. The gap between de facto and de jure equality is one of the major problems that will demand special attention from the Government and all its partners before genuine gender equality would be achieved in Azerbaijan.
What’s our mission?
UNFPA supports the State Committee on Family, Women and Children
Issues to take new initiative in the area of gender mainstreaming,
such as gender budgeting and development of a gender equality
law. UNFPA enhances the capacities of law enforcement, migration,
medical, social, educational and media staff as well as civil
society representatives. UNFPA pays special attention to male
involvement while focusing on Gender Based Violence, Human Rights
and gender equality. In-depth research and public-awareness
campaigns are crosscutting priorities in all activities.
How is UNFPA doing this?
To create an enabling environment and strengthen national capacity
to give a central role to gender issues in development and environment
policies, UNFPA will:
- Support the development of new legislation on gender equality and gender based violence. This entails: Establishment of a Legislation Initiative Group; training of group members; review of all relevant national legislation; draft legislation and submit for comments to international consultant; submission of drafts to the Council of Europe for its expertise; and submission of the revised Law to the National Parliament.
- Incorporate Gender-sensitive budgeting concept into state policies. This entails: Development of advocacy materials related to gender sensitive budgeting; a Conference and several training sessions on Gender budgeting for state employees and parliamentarians; establishment of an Initiative Group on Gender Budgeting, which will analyze the 2006 state budget from gender perspective and prepare recommendations fro state budget 2007-2008; and TV debates, radio programs aimed at introducing Gender Budgeting to the general public.
- Produce a National Report on the Status of Women in Azerbaijan. UNFPA will support the production of a National Report on Women’s Status in Azerbaijan, which will be the first national report on the status of women within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals. It will include comprehensive statistical and policy analysis of gender issues in all aspects of social and economic development.
- Revealing gender equality from a religious perspective: UNFPA will support new research related to “Gender Equality in Islam – as seen in Azerbaijan”. The research will be used to produce an information booklet on gender equality in Islam for advocacy and public information purposes. The research will also form the basis for the development of training materials for use with religious leaders.
- Reaching the grass-roots
level: UNFPA will this year initiate a series of seminars
and training courses for civil society representatives
on Gender Based Violence, Human Rights and Gender
Mainstreaming (at least 50% of participants will be male).
Who are our partners?
This UNFPA project will be implemented jointly with the State Committee
on Family, Women ,and Children Issues,
Other partners will be:
- The National Parliament of Azerbaijan
- State Program on Poverty Reduction and Economic Development (SPPRED) Secretariat
- State Committee ion Religious Issues,
- Open Society institute,
- BBC Department on Caucuses and Central Asia
- NGOs.
How will Azerbaijan benefit?
The fundamental benefit to Azerbaijan will be the continuing
contribution by the UN system to assist the governmental
agencies on the way of achieving gender equality, incorporation
of gender sensitive concepts into state national policies,
preventing gender-based violence and promoting equal opportunities
and human rights for women and girls
Contact Details:
Nigina Abaszade, UNFPA
Nigina.abaszade@un-az.org; abaszade@unfpa.org
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