Ombudsman received UNHCR Azerbaijan Office

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan continues to undertake multidimensional measures to ensure the rights of refugees, internally displaced and asylum-seekers, as well as to make proposals aimed at improving the legislation in line with modern challenges. A number of important work is underway in close cooperation with government agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media.

Within the framework of mutual cooperation between the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Azerbaijan, the protection of these persons' rights in line with national and international legislation, strengthening their potential in this area, comprehensive awareness raising campaigns have been carried out in regular capitals and regions in order to develop asylum systems in line with European standards, prevent statelessness and other areas. At the same time, within the framework of this cooperation a number of projects were implemented in the settlements and secondary schools established for internally displaced persons in the country over the past two years, with the aim of safeguarding the rights of children and women, with a total of over 10,000 IDPs.

Meanwhile, joint activities have been organized in various regions of the country with the involvement of Ombudsman's Regional Centers during the implementation of the EU-funded Project on Improving the Quality of Shelter Systems in the Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus (SCAP).

The Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova received UNHCR's new representative in Azerbaijan, Guido Ambroso, at his request.

At the meeting, the results of the cooperation between the Ombudsman and UNHCR were analyzed and exchanged views on future prospects.

The Commissioner said that protection of violated rights of internally displaced persons is one of the priority issues in the country and that all people's concerns are the daily care of the state. Today, every 8th of the population of the republic is a refugee or IDP, as well as the exemplary state shown by the Government of Azerbaijan to this sensitive part of the population despite the fact that in recent years, they have moved to 98 newly built settlements meeting the modern requirements for the temporary displacement of internally displaced persons, in stages of improving their social protection and living conditions, both in legal and socio-economic fields and continuing to do so, they face many difficulties and return to their native lands and that the issue remains unresolved.

She also noted that frequent visits were made to these frontier areas, meetings were held in the frontier regions, appropriate measures were taken to address the probe, and regular trainings were provided for the relevant government agencies involved in asylum / migration issues, as well as ensuring equality of rights and emphasized the need for continuous awareness-raising among refugee, IDP, migrant, children, women and persons with disabilities from vulnerable groups of populations, and the need to involve civil society in conjunction with relevant government agencies and international organizations in the development and implementation of joint strategies in this area.

G.Ambroso noted that Azerbaijan has achieved an effective outcome in recent years on the provision of rights and freedoms of foreigners applying for refugee, IDPs, refugee status, and measures to reduce statelessness.

At the meeting, it was noted that the adoption of the UN Global Compact document, which is an intergovernmental agreement, will make a significant contribution to the development of international co-operation, and to ensure continuity of measures in this regard, as well as the 20th anniversary of adoption of the United Nations IDPs 2018-2020 The Joint Action Plans for Implementation and Coordination of the Action Plans for the 1990s have been identified.

The guest expressed his gratitude to the Human Rights Commissioner for effective proposals and said that the cooperation with the Ombudsman would be further developed.

Provisions of the new bilateral agreement to be signed within the framework of the meeting were discussed.