Conference dedicated to Human Rights Day - Displacement highlighted as a major human rights problem in Azerbaijan

Baku, 8 December, The Office of the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan together with UNDP held a conference dedicated to the International Human Rights Day.

The Commissioner of Human Rights of the Azerbaijan Republic Ms. Elmira Suleymanova welcomed all the participants and expressed her gratitude for coming to the event. Mr. Marco Borsotti, the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Heydar Babayev, Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Ibrahim Kaboglu, Head of Constitutional Law Department, Marmara University and other representatives of the international organizations as well as the government entities and mass media were among the participants.

Ms. Suleymanova announced that this year's Human Rights Day theme was dedicated to the elimination of poverty. Poverty and social inequality persist because many people lack their universally-guaranteed human rights and fundamental freedoms. In her speech Ms. Suleymanova noted the great role that UNDP had played in the establishment and operation of the Office of the Ombudsman and its Regional Centers in Azerbaijan. Ms. Suleymanova also positively assessed Office of the Ombudsman's joint project with UNICEF promoting the rights of children.

Mr. Borsotti welcomed and thanked all the participants for accepting the invitation to take part in the joint initiative to celebrate the Human Rights Day. "The major violation of human rights in Azerbaijan is the displacement of the large part of its population. The fact that many people in Azerbaijan have been denied the right to return to their homes and to live in peace is a major concern for the international community. Displacement was one of the main causes that at the beginning of the 1990s also provoked catastrophic decline of the economy" said Mr. Borsotti in his speech.

Mr. Ibrahim Kaboglu began his presentation by expressing his pleasure to be in Baku for the 58th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. His presentation was based on "Human Rights and principal factors in the process of Democratization".

Mr. Heydar Babayev highlighted the achievements of the State Programme on Poverty Reduction and Economic Development in Azerbaijan. He specifically pointed out main strategic issues: provision of macro-economic stability; development of non-oil sector; improvement of education and health sectors; institutional reforms and good governance; improvement of infrastructure; improvement of social security.

The second part of the conference was devoted to the presenting of awards to the winners of the children's drawing competition, called "My rights", and the presenting of awards to journalists for the best story on "Protection of Human Rights".