On the 20-th of September, the scientific-practical conference on the results of the monitoring of the Family Code of Azerbaijan Republic was held. The conference was dedicated to the discussions of the recommendations of certain amendments in the Family Code, which are due to be adopted by Milli Mejlis (the National Parliament) within a few months. (21-SEP-07)
Written by Shahla Ismailova/ HRH Baku on the basis of conference materials; photo by Shahla Ismailova
The conference was organized with the joint initiative of the National Parliament, State Committee on Problems of Family, Women and Children, UNICEF Azerbaijan and the State Administration Academy within the Presidential Machinery of Azerbaijan Republic.
Participants
Among the participants were the representatives of the above organizations, as well as from other state institutions – Ombudsman Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Youth and Sport Ministry.
At the same time, representatives of some NGO-s, working in the area of children and women’s rights were invited as well.
Discussions
The positive intention of the monitoring was highly evaluated by the participants and there was given information about the analysis. Such issues, as equal marriage age, marriage age limit, recommended measures to reduce the number of early marriages, forced marriages, divorces were discussed. Moreover, there was emphasized the big necessity to raise the public awareness of the human rights, particularly, the gender equality in the family, healthcare recommendations, importance of the marital contract, etc.
The role of the state institutions and NGO-s in this awareness raising policy was recognized by all the participants.
The process of collecting recommendations to amendments to the Family Code will be open until the end of October and the Standing Committee of Social Policy in the National Parliament.
