last updated April 19, 2007

Contributed in part by: Yuliya Gureyeva, National VAW Monitors

Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Azerbaijan, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2007
United States annual report on human rights conditions in Azerbaijan.

Research: Local Mass Media Coverage as Indicates Increase of Domestic Violence, NGO Clean World, 2006.
The monitoring of the publications in the local Mass Media within a period of March, 2005 to March 2006 shows the increase of reports on violence against women, the majority of which report death or serious injuries to women. The researchers pay attention to the fact that the abusers often can escape penalty, which creates an impression of impunity of domestic violence. The full text is available in Azeri.

Violence against Women in Azerbaijan, Alternative Country Report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Leyla Yanus, Zahila Tahirova, Elmira Alakbarova, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), 2004 (PDF, 51 pages).
This report presents general observations about the status of women in Azerbaijan, with a special focus on violence against women. It examines violence against women in the family, in the community, and as perpetrated by state actors. It also discusses women's sexual and reproductive rights. The report ends by making recommendations.  

Legislation in the Member States of the Council of Europe in the Field of Violence Against Women, prepared in part by Jill Radford, United Kingdom, for the Council of Europe's Steering Committee for Equality Between Men and Women, March 2004 (Doc. EG 2004 2).
This report details national legislation dealing with violence against women in 38 of the 45 Council of Europe member states. In 1995, the Council requested member states to complete a questionnaire on relevant legislation, and subsequent research completed by the Council allowed for a survey of the varying legislation of member states. The report consists of two volumes, ending with a list of good practices and effective legislation prohibiting violence against women. Pages 29-34 contain information on Azerbaijan. 

2005 Report to UN Division for the Advancement of Women, Azerbaijan Gender Information Center, 2005.
NGO Report on Violence Against Women in Azerbaijan.

Problem of Women and Children Trafficking in Azerbaijan Through the Eyes of Mass Media. Clean World
NGO "Clean World" conducted monitoring of the 34 periodical press issued in the Republic of Azerbaijan within the period of March, 2004 - March 2005. The data collected and analysed within this report is connected with 170 cases of traficking in people and 15 cases of sexual violence. The report presents assesment of the scope of the problem as presented in Mass Media and gives recomendations on combating this issue and raising awareness. (Word 27pg) Azeri

Family violence: is there any guarantee for our safety? Clean World.
The report by NGO "Clean World" is done on the bases of analyses of the criminal chronicles covering the issues of domestic violence in the local newspapers. The study is available in English and Azeri.

HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan: a socio-cultural approach, Telman Magerramov, Leyla Ismayilova, Tair Faradov.
Along with other socio-economic and socio-cultural factors (migration, unemployment, family context, local traditions), the study analyzes how gender inequalities and domestic violence increase women's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan. The report is available in English and Russian.

Report to the Azerbaijani Government on the visit to Azerbaijan carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment  European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), from November 24 to December 2, 2002 (2004).
This report contains information about women's conditions in prisons in Azerbaijan. The Azeri Government Response is also available.

2004 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Azerbaijan, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 28 February 2005.
Section 5 of the report contains a paragraph on the status of women in Azerbaijan, and a subsection on trafficking.

Assessment on Violence and Women in Azerbaijan, International Rescue Committee - Azerbaijan (June 2004). (PDF, 41 pages) (Azeri)
An overview of violence in the lives of women in IRC's beneficiary population.

Gender Statistics Report. The State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic (2004). (PDF, 41 pages). 
A body of statistics compiled, analyzed and presented by sex, reflecting gender issues in Azerbaijan.

Report on Civil Forum on the National Plan of Action, Mehriban Zeynalova, Chairman of "Clean World" Organization (December 2004)(HTML). 
On 8-14 of December 2004 "Clean World" conducted Civil Forums in three regions of Azerbaijan dedicated to the discussion of the "National Plan of Action on Combatting Traficking in Persons," adopted by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on May 6th, 2004.

Book: Violence Against Women
One of the first introductory textbooks published in Azeri about violence against women. The full version of the book can be downloaded from this website here.

Research Report: Local Media Coverage of Violence Against Women, Helena Kasumova in cooperation with Olga Vali (2004).
The study conducted by local NGO AREAT examines the content and approach used by journalists in covering the issue of violence against women in local newspapers. The full version of the study is available in English, Azeri, and Russian. Posted by Leyla Ismayilova, National VAW Monitor, Center for Psychological Counseling (CPC).

Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2004 (Events of 2003), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, (23 June 2004). (PDF, 14 pages).
This report discusses the situation of women's rights in Azerbaijan, as well as new developments.

Trafficking in Persons Report: Azerbaijan. U.S. Department of State. (14 June 2004). (HTML).

Integrating Gender: Gender Assessment Report for USAIDS/Caucasus/Azerbaijan (January 2004) (PDF, 44 pages)
This report discusses the reemergence of patriarchial traditions and gender norms in Azerbaijani culture. Today women are more likely to be unemployed, paid less, and discriminated against. Such disparities not only present human rights problems but also signify an underutilization of human capacity critical to development.

Research Paper: High Prevalence of Self-Reported Forced Sexual Intercourse Among Internally Displaced Women in Azerbaijan, Kerimova et al., 93 American Journal of Public Health 1067-1070 (2003). 
This research study examines the prevalence of sexual abuse in the Internally Displaced Person community. The full version of the report is available here.  Posted by Leyla Ismayilova, National VAW Monitor, Center for Psychological Counseling.

Survey: Victims of Trafficking in Azerbaijan (Part I in Azeri, Part II in Azeri), Social Union for Human Rights "Clean World," with assistance from Johns Hopkins University (February 2004).
This survey is based on the interviews of victims of trafficking in Azerbaijan. Its results lead to the conclusion that trafficking in Azerbaijan is a serious problem rooted in the economic hardship, lack of public information on women's rights and the existence of well-organized criminal groups linked with high-ranked officials. Posted by Yuliya Gureyeva, National VAW Monitor, Azerbaijan Gender Information Center

Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective - Violence Against Women, Addendum 1, United Nations Commission for Human Rights, (E/CN.2/2003/75/Add.1) (27 Feb. 2003). (HTML). 
This report has information regarding rape, prostitution, trafficking and domestic violence against women in Azerbaijan. Information on Azerbaijan can be found on page 341.

2003 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Azerbaijan, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, (25 February 2004). (HTML).
This report has a section on the status of women in Azerbaijan as well as a section on trafficking in Azerbaijan.

Survey of Legislative Frameworks for Combating Trafficking in Persons, Kristi Severance, American Bar Association, Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI), (January 2003). (HTML). 
This survey presents an overview of the status of anti-trafficking legislation in 21 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, including Azerbaijan. The survey includes an overview of the scope of the problem and a summary of the role of the UN Trafficking Protocol and the human rights standards that should be applied in anti-trafficking legislation.

Gender-based violence in refugee community (Country report: Azerbaijan), Jeanne Ward, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children (30 April 2002) 
The report prepared by Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children describe the current situation and programming in regard to violence agaist women in post-conflict zones. The full version of the report is available here.  Posted by Leyla Ismayilova, National VAW Monitor, Center for Psychological Counseling.

Epidemiological Facts Sheets on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Azerbaijan, UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO. (2002). (PDF, 13 pages).
This report provides statistical and behavioral data on HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan.

Shattered Dreams: Report on Trafficking of Persons in Azerbaijan, International Organization for Migration, (2002). (PDF, 72 pages).
This report examines trafficking in Azerbaijan, the government response and the applicable national legislation. The International Organization for Migration also makes recommendations to national authorities and other concerned parties.

Away from Azerbaijan, Destination Europe, International Organization for Migration, (2001). (PDF, 59 pages).
This report describes the motives behind irregular migration in Azerbaijan, as well as the routes and methods used in migrating to Europe. The report seeks to assist the Azerbaijani government and others in addressing the the root causes and negative effects of illegal migration.

A Form of Slavery: Trafficking of Women in OSCE Member States, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, (19 June 2000). (PDF, 91 pages).
This report provides specific information, including criminal code provisions, regarding trafficking of women in Azerbaijan. Information on Azerbaijan can be found on page 9.

Women 2000-An Investigation into the Status of Women's Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, (11 May 2000). (PDF, 13 pages).
This report provides information on gender discrimination, domestic violence, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation (including trafficking).

If you know of online reports on human rights or women's rights that you would like to see posted on this page, please contact the Website Administrator at stopvaw@mnadvocates.org. Please provide the title, authors' names, and URL of the online report. Submission of an online report does not guarantee posting on this website, and posting is at the discretion of the Website Adminstrator.