Number of women working in Azerbaijani business sector growing

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 13

By Ilhama Isabalayeva – Trend:

Azerbaijani women contributed to the development of science and education during the period of the Russian Empire, during the Soviet period, as well as during the years of independence, Elgun Safarov, head of the department of information and analytical research of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, PhD in Law, told Trend on Feb. 12.

“We can see this in all branches of science,” Safarov said. “Azerbaijani women have contributed to the development of the technical and humanitarian spheres. Young women have merits in the development of innovations. Women have played a role in the development of other spheres in Azerbaijan, namely, the economy, municipal structures.”

The head of the department added that four percent represented in the municipal system accounted for women and 96 percent – for men in 2004, then during the recent election held in 2019, women represented 39 percent, more than 30 percent of them work as chairpersons of municipalities.

“Today 80 women in Azerbaijan work as deputy heads of the executive power,” Safarov said. “This is a very big change. Since 2013, the number of such women has increased from 26 to 80 people. Today, the Azerbaijani first vice president, speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, chairperson of the State Committee, deputy minister are women.”

Safarov also stressed that 71,000 women were engaged in entrepreneurship in 2011-2012 but thanks to the recent reforms, support programs and benefits, the number of women entrepreneurs reached 198,000 (as of January 1).

“That is, the number of women in the business sector has grown up to three times,” head of the department said. “Today women work in almost all spheres.”