Regional Centers of the Ombudsman held online events on the occasion of December 10 - Human Rights Day

Sheki, Ganja, and Guba Regional Centers of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan held online events on the occasion of 10 December - Human Rights Day. The participants of the meeting have been informed by the Regional Centers about the historical background of this date and had discussions on the topic.

Sheki Regional Center and Heydar Aliyev Centers of Gabala and Oguz districts have organized a joint awareness-raising meeting for the staff of those centers and the young people dedicated to Human Rights Day celebrated worldwide on this date. During the online meeting, the participants were also informed about the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other international and national human rights legal documents.   

Guba Regional Center jointly with some group of “ASAN Volunteers” also launched an online awareness event. In the course of the meeting, the attendants have been enlightened about the significance of the date of December 10 and the UDHR. It was also spoken about the measures taken during “16 Day of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” lasted until 10 December, the activity of the Ombudsman in relation to this matter, as well as the national legislative framework, including the National Action Plan on Combatting Domestic Violence in Azerbaijan for 2020-2023 years.

In that vein, Ganja Regional Center together with the Youth and Sports Department of Goygol district held its first event related to this significant date and on the topic “Protection of human rights is the highest goal of the Azerbaijani state” with active participation of young people. Whereas, the next legal-educational event held jointly with the Youth and Sports Department of Gazakh district, which was organized also with the participation of the youth focused on the theme “All people are free and equal.” In the meeting, it was said that in XX century, the UDHR was the main document adopted, on December 10, 1948, in the field of human rights and since 1950, the world states have marked this day as the World Human Rights Day. In addition, it was noted that Azerbaijan as an equal member of the world community, has chosen the path of building a democratic, legal and secular state and joined this Declaration and other international treaties.

The participants were informed about the wide range of activities of the Ombudsman Institution in the field of promotion, and protection of human rights in our country, the activities of the 916 Call Center, as well as opportunities to apply to the Ombudsman during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was underlined that the Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community the findings obtained during fact-finding missions in the frontline and other districts in order to protect the rights of many of our citizens who suffered as a result of heavy artillery and rocket attacks on civilian objects during the war.