Delegation of the Ombudsman Office attended international conference held in Chisinau

An international conference on "Non-discrimination as one of the main values of modern societies" was held in Chisinau, Moldova. The Head of the Office of Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Aydin Safikhanli, staff members of the Office Faig Aghayev and Zaur Valiammadli attended this event organized in framework of the joint project of the Council of Europe and European Union.

The main objective of the event was to find ways of protection from discrimination in the Eastern Partnership countries at the national level, as well as conducting exchange of experiences on this topic.

The Head of the Office delivered a speech on the basis of the report on ensuring equality and non-discrimination in Azerbaijan and the Ombudsman’s activity in this field.  

In the speech he noted that Azerbaijan became a multinational and multi-religious country where the national policy was determined according to the coexistence of different nations, ethnic groups and religious minorities, principles of tolerance and cooperation, no discrimination or confrontation took place here on national and religious grounds, progressive national cultural or religious relations based on mutual trust and respect existed.

He underlined that according to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the equality of rights and freedoms ensured for everyone, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, language, sex, origin, property status, occupation, beliefs or affiliation with other public associations.

It has been mentioned that multiculturalism and tolerance have turned into the lifestyle of the country.

The implementation of state policy aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue and cooperation in our multinational and multi-confessional country known as the space of intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue, was also brought to the attention of the participants.

He gave broad information on multidimensional activity of the Ombudsman in ensuring the rights of equality and non-discrimination.

It has been noted that the Ombudsman carries out the activity directed towards protection of rights of all groups of the population without any discrimination, takes measures immediately investigating complaints of everyone regardless of ethnicity, there is no phobia against any nation in our country and it has been proved by practical examples.

Although there is ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, tens of thousands Armenians are living in our Republic and enjoying all their rights equally, their complaints to the Azerbaijani Ombudsman are investigated according to the law. 

Following the topics discussed in the conference the Head of the Office gave extensive information about the reforms carried out in Azerbaijan directed at implementation of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the work done by the Ombudsman fulfilling functions as an independent mechanism in promoting the implementation and monitoring protection of CRPD in the field of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

The implementation of the measures aimed at elimination of violence and discrimination against elderly persons in the project of the  “State program on strengthening social protection of the elderly” drafted on the initiative and proposals of the Ombudsman, as well as providing the elderly willing to work with the activity corresponding to their knowledge and abilities, also involving them to social work, ensuring self-employment, targeting the integration of the elders to the labor market developing and applying active labor market programs, were brought to attention.

A.Safikhanly also noted the significance of measures considered in the clauses 4.10 and 4.11 of the National Program for Action to Raise Effectiveness of the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan (NAPr) approved by the Decree of the country President in regard of preventing hate crimes.

Thus, it was noted; in the NAPr, the clause 4.10 considers the conduct of awareness activities in order to develop a proper culture of law, prevent discrimination, promote a culture of peace and tolerance and national and spiritual values of our people, the  clause 4.11 implies such duties as to continue activities both within the country and abroad on the dialogue among cultures and religions, to strengthen religious tolerance, and implementation of complex measures by the relevant state bodies in these directions.

It was reported that leading the activity of the Working Group on Coordination of implementation of the NAPr was recommended to and realized by the Ombudsman, public hearings were held by the Commissioner in all of the cities and rayons of country with participation of the members of Parliament, the representatives of local executive powers, courts and law enforcement bodies, municipalities, local NGOs, mass media, including refugees and internally displaces persons, local communities covering the ethnic minorities. In the course of the hearings special attention was paid to the topics of legal equality and fight against discrimination.

Speaking during the conference, F.Aghayev indicated elaboration of two methodical textbooks for the teachers and students, regarding teaching child rights in the framework of the project implemented by the Ombudsman in collaboration with the Ministry of Education on hierarchic child rights education, and the right not to be subjected to any discrimination was mentioned as one of the fundamental human rights.

It was noted as well that teaching “Human Rights” in the Law Faculty of the Baku State University (BSU), later on in the other faculties, was given a start and, the students of BSU are taught the subject “Introduction to Gender” for several years on proposal of the Ombudsman and the textbook on those subjects were drafted and published. It was further mentioned that the promotion of equality of rights and the issue of non-discrimination were paid special attention during teaching of those subjects using drafted textbooks.

Taking the floor at the conference Z.Valimammadli noted the Azerbaijani Ombudsman Institution as a recognized National Human Rights Institution of the UN like in many other countries and efficient use of international practice along with the national approach in the fight against discrimination. He noted in particular the significant activity of the Azerbaijani Ombudsman who plays an important role in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the country level, in the direction of executing the mentioned goal of ensuring gender equality (Goal 5) and the reduced inequality within and among countries as (Goal 10) of SDGs.

So that, the elimination of reduced inequalities within and among countries were one of the problems discussed in the meeting of the Board of Directors held in Baku, on October of this year on the initiative of the Azerbaijani Ombudsman, vice-President of the Asian Ombudsmen Association (AOA). It was further mentioned that he activity of the Azerbaijani Ombudsman in the field of ensuring women rights and gender equality was evaluated as a good practice by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, in which we are a member too, among others in the report submitted to the 62^nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Within the event the members of delegation gave information about the cooperation of the Ombudsman with the international and regional organizations, proposals of the Commissioner on ratification of the Council of Europe Conventions on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.  

The representatives delivering speeches at the conference and other experts carefully listened and positively evaluated the reforms implemented in Azerbaijan related to non-discrimination of individuals and the information on the activity of the Ombudsman in this regard.