An enlightening event on “Ensuring and Promoting the Right to Equality and Non-Discrimination” was organized

An enlighte​ning event on “Ensuring and Promoting the Right to Equality and Non-discrimination” was organized in the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The event had brought together the representatives from executive authorities, civil society members, and others.

The head of the Ombudsman Office, Aydin Safikhanli, in his opening speech, provided extensive information about national reforms in the field of human rights and freedoms, new efficient legal remedies developed, as well as the existing legal framework to ensure the right to equality and prevent discrimination, the Ombudsman’s mandate, and activities in the relevant field. He also emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation.

He also spoke about the latest changes made to the Constitutional Law on the Ombudsman, which conferred on the Ombudsman new competences to ensure the equality of rights and non-discrimination, etc. He also added that for this purpose, a relevant structural unit dealing with equality and non-discrimination issues, as well as a monitoring group within the premises of the Ombudsman Office, were established. The key role of these actions in promoting inclusive society and eliminating discriminative matters was underlined.

The head of the Equality Unit in the Ombudsman Office, Javidan Gorchiyev, made a PPT on “Ensuring the right to equality and combating discrimination: core human rights principles.” He shed light on the legal basis of the right to equality, applicable mechanisms, and tasks ahead. The work done and future perspectives were also touched upon.

Then, the educational video on equality prepared at the initiative of the Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva, was played.

At the end, current problems, solutions, and possible prospects of mutual collaboration between public and civil society organizations were discussed.