|
Short
Biography |
Ms Zemfira Veryeva
is a professor of Linguistic, specializing in English and
French languages. She has won many awards. She has authored
monographs, books, dictionaries, papers, articles, theses,
numbering about 189 altogether, 28 of them were published in
foreign media. She has also written 360 articles for
newspapers and magazines. Among the countries, which have
accepted her articles are USA, England, Turkey, Austria,
Georgia, Israel, India, Jordan, Iran, Iran, Cyprus, Estonia,
Russia etc. At present she is president of Azerbaijan. |
|
Presentation |
WOMEN IN SOCIAL
LIFE OF AZERBAIJAN
Azerbaijan is a
multinational country. Generally, Azerbaijan is situated
between East and West, it has multifaceted national and
cultural identity.
Women in
Azerbaijan, especially in comparison to women of other
Muslim countries, including its neighboring have
accomplished and impressive level of development
particularly in education, employment, primary health and
legal rights.
Generally, in
Azeri culture women have respective and protected position.
With some variations in urban areas, the respect toward
women is usually correlated with their role as mothers.
Mothers, especially those with sons, gain more respect and
authority in the family as they grow older.
In Azerbaijan,
most of families have two children, except the rural
families. They have four or more children. Concerning gender
issues, the process would involve better representation in
roles of decision-making and political power, as well as a
restructuring of family responsibilities to preserve
desirable cultural values while simultaneously expanding the
presence and contribution of women to the new Azerbaijani
society.
Azerbaijan
constitution emphasizes the equal right of men and women.
That is a positive process. However, it should not mislead
us that the problem is overcome.
The participation
of women in political activities both “from above” and “from
below” must be promoted.This should help to integrate women
and gender issues in national human development and to
include women in the decision-making process, concerning the
strategies for economics reform and democratization. Women
must be supported in their effort to organize either
independent NGO’s or political parties that promote women
candidates running for higher political office. This is
needed to correct the present low representation or women in
national leadership and governmental bodies of Azerbaijan.
New bodies, such as a Research Center for Gender Analysis or
gender and Development, in conjuction with the Academy of
Sciences could help improve the status of women and further
a gender-sensitive strategy for human development in
Azerbaijan.
Women always took
part an active role in social life in Azerbaijan. Government
always gives its attention on the preparation of women for
the work in the state organs and the social organizations.
There was hardly sittings, plenary meetings, conferences or
congresses where the women’s education, health, human rights
and the others were not discussed.
Despite progress
for women equality, women are still viewed in Azerbaijan
society mainly as housewives. Consequently, much of women’s
activities still take place at home. Family values are very
strong in Azeri society. Azerbaijan had one of the lowest
devoice rates. The traditional family was rather rigid and
remained untouched by the great achievements in women’s
rights in society and working women carried the double
burden of domestic and the professional work.
The successful
achievement of democracy and respect for human rights in
Azerbaijan will require extensive reforms.
Recent years have
seen some important legal and institutional reforms that
strengthen the respects for human rights. The Constitution
of the Azerbaijan Republic provides a sound basis for the
protection of human rights. The process of ratifying
international human rights agreements is well underway, and
a member of recent laws and presidential decrees aim to
reinforce respect for human rights.
Recognizing that
mechanisms for human rights protection can be effective only
if a culture of human rights comes into being, United
Nations organizations and the Government have begun
collaborating in efforts to raise human rights awareness.
These include the organization of seminars and workshops,
the establishment of libraries, and the dissemination of
relevant publications. Azerbaijan’s Constitution was drafted
in the spirit of the Universal Declaration. It grants all
people freedom of thought and speech, conscience, assembly,
and information, and it extends to everyone the right to
social protection, health, education, property ownership,
safety, participation in cultural life, and the use of their
mother tongues. It extends rights to those detained,
arrested, or accused of crimes, including the right to a
lawyer’s advice from the moment of detention, arrest, or
accusation and the presumption of innocence until guilt as
proved legally. These rights and liberties are extended to
all people irrespective of characteristics such as gender,
race, nationality, origin, religion, political convictions,
and membership in political parties and other public
organizations.
Citizens are
guaranteed a right to education, irrespective of their race,
nationality, ethnic origins, language, sex, age, health,
social and the material status, place of residency,
religion, political views as well as criminal record.
Restrictions based on age, sex, state of health and criminal
record may be imposed on education for specific profession
and specialties.
Citizens have the
right to a free education in state educational institutions.
In addition, these institutions may create and charge for
specific training courses.
There are two
opposing tendencies in education. Azerbaijani culture
traditionally accord high status to knowledge and education.
However, the struggle for survival is leading women to
concentrate more on income generating activities with a
relative loss of interest in education. There are more women
teachers than men; the gap widens yearly. This may be
explained by the crisis in the education system- women
occupy more of the lower paid jobs. At present, there is
evidence of a decline of women’s political activities with
in some political groups. Women have been assembling to
protect their rights. In addition, currently there are many
women’s organizations, with many members each. Some were
created from women’s sections of political parties. |
