Ombudsman took part in the international scientific-practical conference on “Problems of Human Rights Protection: Exchange of Best Practices among Ombudspersons”

The Human Rights Commissioner for Azerbaijan, Ms. Sabina Aliyeva, participated in the VIII international scientific-practical conference on “Problems of Human Rights Protection: Exchange of Best Practices among Ombudspersons,” held in Moscow, Russia.

During the event, which brought together ombudspersons, heads and representatives of NHRIs from about 60 countries, the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan spoke on the topic “Current problems of the protection of human rights in the field of public health.” She said global problems related to the right to healthcare necessitate complex approaches to be solved. The role of NHRIs in the investigation into timely equal access to the right to healthcare, and making recommendations for the integration of the national legal framework to the recognized international standards was also underlined. 

Stating the mass violations of human rights that occurred during armed conflicts emerging in different parts of the world, the Ombudsman said that Azerbaijan has faced similar problems for long years as Armenia damaged the environment in our occupied areas, which were kept under occupation for nearly thirty years, polluted the water sources with chemical waste, and committed ecosid, urbisid, and mine terror. 

The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan said that the failure of Armenia to handover to us the accurate maps of minefields created in our territories during the occupation period, lead to human costs and adverse health effects, as well as create serious impediments to the promotion of the right to live in a healthy environment.

Speaking about the use of digital technologies in the field of public health, Sabina Aliyeva said that enhancing the use of artificial intelligence could increase the effectiveness of healthcares services. On the other side, the enhanced use of digitalized health services created some restrictions in the provision of healthcare services to some vulnerable groups of population, who have not access to the internet and digital technologies.   

Sabina Aliyeva, also added that Azerbaijan will hold COP 29 - UN Climate Change Conference in 2024, and in this framework, as an NHRI of Azerbaijan, we held the International Baku Forum of Ombudspersons on Climate Change and Human Rights, to effectively discuss the problems of global climate change and the solutions on how to address them.