Azerbaijan’s Speaker Sahiba Gafarova Participates in PAM Women’s Parliamentary Forum in Abu Dhabi
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, attended the second session of the Women’s Parliamentary Forum of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Addressing the forum, Speaker Gafarova described PAM as a vital platform for dialogue, solidarity, and mutual understanding among member states. She emphasized that the Assembly’s focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment reflects its steadfast commitment to collective action in pursuit of shared goals.
The Speaker announced that the Milli Majlis has formally applied for observer status in PAM, noting that endorsement of this application would strengthen cooperation and facilitate more effective joint initiatives. She also highlighted Azerbaijan’s interest in enhancing collaboration between the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM PA), currently chaired by the Milli Majlis, and PAM.
Speaker Gafarova underscored that gender equality and the empowerment of women have been rightly recognized as key Sustainable Development Goals. She briefed participants on Azerbaijan’s achievements in this area, emphasizing that women have historically played a central role in family life and in passing societal values to future generations, rooted in the nation’s strong familial and cultural traditions.
She further noted that Azerbaijani women are actively engaged across multiple sectors, including politics, the economy, science, education, and healthcare. Highlighting ongoing efforts, she mentioned the government’s adoption of the 2026–2028 National Gender Equality Action Plan as a continuation of consistent measures to advance gender equality.
In conclusion, Speaker Gafarova reaffirmed the Azerbaijani Parliament’s proactive role in promoting gender equality at the institutional level, reinforcing the country’s commitment to inclusive development and women’s empowerment.
