Azerbaijan: Unions welcome national action plan vs. domestic violence

BWI affiliates in Azerbaijan joined the 16 days of activism on violence against women by celebrating the country’s adoption of its first national action plan (2020-2023) to address domestic violence.

The trade unions said that the action plan was the product of years of advocacy on the part of women workers. 

“This is the product of our collective advocacy through the years. With this achievement, women workers are now ready for more victories, such as convincing our government to ratify ILO Convention 190,” said Rena Tahirova, a trade union activist from the Inshaat-IS trade union. 

On 27 November, the President of Azerbaijan approved the country’s first National Action Plan to combat domestic violence for 2020-2023. The plan was developed in accordance with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Convention. 

Trade unions consider the plan a concrete program with clear steps and indicators to guide all state institutions and civil society. 

Meanwhile, Gender Hub, a coalition of women civil society organisations, joined the trade unions’ call for the government to ratify ILO Convention 190, making it one of its key demands in this year’s 16 days of global activism against gender-based violence.