The Azerbaijan State News Agency

POLITICS

Jewish Journal: Celebrating 100 years of voting rights for women in Azerbaijan

Jewish Journal: Celebrating 100 years of voting rights for women in Azerbaijan

Baku, August 23, AZERTAC

The US-based Jewish Journal has published an article headlined “Celebrating 100 years of voting rights for women in Azerbaijan”.

Written by Durdana Aghayeva, a witness who survived during the Khojaly genocide thanks to the miracle, the article reads: “This world has never been a simple place for women. For centuries we have been held back, across the globe, and limited in the most basic and fundamental areas of life. Yet this past century has seen a dramatic, life-altering shift for women around the globe. Despite significant challenges, many women today enjoy a relatively greater degree of liberty, much of which is protected by laws and constitutions and supported by a major shift in attitude and ideology regarding the worth and capabilities of women.

In Azerbaijan, we started a bit early on the trend of women’s liberation. In fact, just this past July 21, 2019, we celebrated 100 years of women’s equality in Azerbaijan. Our nation’s shift to full and equal rights for women began long before the advent of suffrage, but it was codified on July 21, 1919 when all Azerbaijani women, upon the age of 20, were granted the right to vote and run for election for public office.

This law was passed by the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. When this Republic was proclaimed in 1918, becoming the first ever secular democracy among all Muslim nations, it announced the equality of all citizens of Azerbaijan regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religion. But in July 1919 the law concretized the full suffrage for women, making Azerbaijan a champion of women’s rights.

Namely, Azerbaijan achieved this historic milestone many years ahead of most of the nations of the world, and even before the United States granted women the right to vote (1920). This is especially unique considering that Azerbaijan is a majority-Muslim country, and obviously achieved this far before any other Muslim nation in the world. Azerbaijan’s historic and celebrated tendency toward progress and freedom has been a critical component in enabling our early embrace of women’s rights, and we see examples of this broader quality in other unique decisions Azerbaijan has made. Most notable is Azerbaijan’s thousands of years of embracing and protecting Jewish communities, whether native to Azerbaijan or for the many that fled to our majority-Muslim nation at times of grave persecutions and dangers across Europe, the Middle East and most surrounding areas. We have always thrived on innovation, and this quality is most especially impactful and beautiful when it comes to our way of relating to other people. Jews, Christians, Baha’is and all others that peacefully live in our country, as equal citizens with all rights; foreign residents, students, those who travel for business, tourism, or visitors of any kind – all are welcome in Azerbaijan.

Visitors to our capital city of Baku often visit our famous Statue of a Liberated Woman, an enormous work of art, depicting a beautiful, proud and powerful woman looking forward, as she removes her veil. This statue epitomizes our approach to women.

Conditions for women are improving, so are the country’s international rankings. For instance, in World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Gender Gap Index, in the category of economic participation and opportunity, Azerbaijan leaves behind not only its immediate neighbors Armenia and Georgia, but also many European Union members such as Austria, France, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Poland and others. In the Index’s category of educational attainment for women, Azerbaijan beats the majority of developed nations, including the United States.

As a mother to a young adult, I see my daughter stepping out into a world of her own, and yet one with a shared system of values that I know will empower and protect her as she lives her life. Together, we celebrate this milestone of women’s liberty, 100 years of suffrage in Azerbaijan, and we realize the many bold and brilliant women of Azerbaijan that are leading today and also those that have come before our time, breaking down barriers. Our family celebrates the anniversary of women’s suffrage in Azerbaijan every year, and we discuss the growing list of examples where women have shaped our history, in politics, art, medicine, poetry; in every facet of life. We have amazing female leaders such as the First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, 21 female members of our Parliament, Supreme Court Justices, including Tatyana Goldman, who is Jewish, and others to recognize.

My prayers are that our values and blessings that have brought us to this 100 year anniversary should spread to those regions nearby and abroad, where women and others are still held back and even harmed, and it is my greatest prayer, that the much larger and unstoppable commitment to tolerance and acceptance for all people, should overtake the entire world.”

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry: Festive events in military units are held in closed conditions

Turkish president congratulates Russian counterpart Putin on reelection

Hikmet Hajiyev: Azerbaijan, China enjoy traditional ties of friendship and partnership

Apple, Google in talks to bring Gemini AI to iPhones: Report

Marie Sahba: I strive to build cultural bridges between our native peoples through my music and lyrics - INTERVIEW

Jens Stoltenberg: We are now in the process of agreeing a new framework for partnership between NATO and Azerbaijan VIDEO

Active dialogue between ruling parties significantly contributes to development of Azerbaijan-China relations

Magic of Novruz at Baku airport: carpets, airplanes, and national values

AZAL staff plants over 600 trees in support of “Green World Solidarity Year”

Azerbaijani female shooter clinches silver medal in Germany

Azerbaijani ambassador attends event marking 109th anniversary of Canakkale Victory

Message of congratulation to the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Novruz holiday

Azerbaijani table tennis players bring ten medals from Türkiye

ANAS Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow Islamic Institute ink MoU

Azerbaijani FM meets with NATO Secretary General

Azerbaijan, US discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation agenda

International Turkic Academy expands international relations

President of Azerbaijan: Everyone must reckon with us from now on

President Ilham Aliyev discloses several facts about Khankendi’s being the land of Azerbaijan

Central square of Khankendi named “Victory Square”

'Canakkale is impassable' immortalized when Turkish Navy defeated most advanced armies: President Erdogan

President: Today, Azerbaijan is one of a handful of countries in the world with a completely independent policy

President of Azerbaijan: Regrettably, the outcomes of the Second Karabakh War did not serve as lesson to Armenia

President Ilham Aliyev: Anti-terror operation was a triumph of indomitable spirit of Azerbaijani people

President: We demonstrated tremendous heroism during the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation

President Ilham Aliyev: It is the fourth time that I have lit the holiday bonfire in liberated lands of Karabakh

President Ilham Aliyev lit Novruz bonfire in the city of Khankendi and congratulated the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the holiday VIDEO

Chinese scientists design device to produce hydrogen from renewable sources

Ukrainian media: NATO Secretary General welcomes Azerbaijan’s support to Ukraine

Peace initiators in the South Caucasus

® Simplify business operations with Kapital Bank's free API Portal

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister meets with NATO Secretary General VIDEO

Azerbaijan, Shanghai Cooperation Organization explore prospects for cooperation

Wildfire continues to spread in China's southern Sichuan province

Azerbaijan, China discuss bilateral cooperation

Global Terrorism Index 2024: Azerbaijan among safest countries in the world

NASA volunteers find fifteen rare “Active Asteroids”

® B2B Forum featuring Latvian, Estonian and Finnish companies held in Azerbaijan

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concludes his visit to Azerbaijan

Release of the Press Service of the President

To His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation

Nervous system disorders found to be biggest cause of poor health

2 Japan astronauts to land on moon in NASA-led Artemis program

Putin gets 85.13% of vote in Moscow after all ballots counted

AZAL launches flights to another London airport

N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS

Oil prices surge in global markets

® “Baku Steel Company” CJSC starts the tender stage for the implementation of the SAP S/4HANA system

Azerbaijan relocates 34 more families to Fuzuli city VIDEO

Fenerbahce win at Trabzonspor in match marred by clashes

“Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” exhibition opens at the Heydar Aliyev Center
First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva attend the opening ceremony VIDEO

‘Cold blob’ of Arctic meltwater may be causing European heat waves

NATO Secretary General: COP29 will be an important milestone in fighting global warming VIDEO

NATO Secretary General: Azerbaijan and Armenia have an opportunity to achieve enduring peace

Jens Stoltenberg: I welcome that Azerbaijan is developing closer ties with several NATO allies VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev invites Jens Stoltenberg to Azerbaijan to attend COP29 in November VIDEO

President: NATO-Azerbaijan partnership has already had a long history VIDEO

Azerbaijani President: Today, we are in an active phase of peace talks with Armenia

President Ilham Aliyev: There is a good chance for settlement of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: Reforms in our Armed Forces have led to good results VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev held expanded meeting over dinner with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made press statements VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev held one-on-one meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg VIDEO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrives in Azerbaijan for official visit

China's auto exports soar 30.5 pct in January-February

US says it destroys Houthi UAVs in Red Sea

Azerbaijan defense minister expresses condolences to Pakistani side

11th Global Baku Forum on “Fixing the Fractured World” concludes

"Once-in-a-lifetime" devil comet will be easily visible this month

Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan praise development of bilateral relations

Azerbaijan`s Prime Minister meets with Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus

First drug to treat common, lethal liver disease gets US nod

11th Global Baku Forum features “New Security Paradigm in the Age of AI, Drones and Cyberwarfare” panel meeting

Azerbaijani PM meets with his Georgian counterpart in Baku

Administrator of UN Development Programme: Azerbaijan's role and approach as President of COP29 are commendable

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze concludes his official visit to Azerbaijan

President Ilham Aliyev held expanded meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made press statements VIDEO

Photo exhibition on "Protection of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage: Austria’s contribution" unveiled in Vienna

Irakli Kobakhidze: Our partnership has reached excellent level

Georgian Prime Minister: Partnership and friendship between our countries hold significant importance on global stage

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: Azerbaijan-Georgia relations are built on a very solid foundation

President: Both Georgia and Azerbaijan possess significant renewable energy potential

President: Our energy projects will continue to ensure energy security of many countries

President of Azerbaijan: The International law norms must be the basis for each country and there can be no discrimination

President Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan and Georgia have always supported each other`s sovereignty

President Ilham Aliyev: Demand for Azerbaijan's energy resources continues to rise

President: Activation of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be beneficial for many countries

President: Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia increased by 15 percent last year

President Ilham Aliyev: Today, Azerbaijan and Georgia have become vital countries for Eurasia

President Ilham Aliyev held one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: Georgia and Azerbaijan always stand by each other as two independent states

SOCAR President meets with World Economic Forum officials

BSEC PERMIS Secretary General: EU membership should align with strategic goals VIDEO

11th Global Baku Forum hosts panel on “Regional Perspectives: EU and its Neighbors”

11th Global Baku Forum hosts panel session on “Building Resilience to Global Challenges: Addressing Inequality, Resource Scarcity and Migration”

SpaceX launches 6,000th Starlink satellite on Friday night flight

US President Joseph Biden congratulates President Ilham Aliyev on Novruz holiday

Georgian Prime Minister pays tribute to Azerbaijani martyrs

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visits tomb of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev