“The amendments envisaged in the Labor Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the Law “On Guarantees of Gender (Men and Women) Equality” are of great importance for further improving the legal framework in our country”.
These remarks were made by MP Konul Nurullayeva during her speech at a plenary session in Parliament.
The MP noted that the aforementioned bill serves the implementation of tasks arising from the National Action Plan for Gender Equality for 2026–2028, approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 29, 2025. According to her, the project is the result of large-scale legal research conducted to ensure gender equality and was prepared taking into account international experience.
The MP emphasized that the amendments cover a total of 190 areas of activity and are particularly aimed at more effective protection of the rights of working women in labor relations: “These innovations fully meet the requirements of international legal documents and have been prepared in accordance with Azerbaijan's obligations in this field”.
K. Nurullayeva stated that Azerbaijan has taken important steps towards gender equality by joining the Sustainable Development Goals adopted within the framework of the UN. National coordination mechanisms have been established for the implementation of these goals, and various state programs have been aligned with these targets.
The MP noted that the improvement of Azerbaijan's position in the “Women, Business and the Law” report published by the World Bank is a result of the reforms carried out in the country. According to her, the country's improved performance in recent years lays the groundwork for greater progress in the future.
Furthermore, the MP pointed out that taking additional steps to expand women's employment opportunities, ensure equal pay, and maintain work-life balance remains crucial. “The principle of equal pay for work of equal value must be fully ensured not only in legislation but also in practice,” she emphasized.
The MP also proposed that control mechanisms for the implementation of the new amendments should be strengthened, and the system for objective evaluation of labor should be improved. In her opinion, this will serve to increase transparency in both the public and private sectors.
K. Nurullayeva noted the importance of clarifying the legal basis of the “gender expertise” mechanism and more concretely regulating the concept of “special measures” for further developing legislation in the gender field. She stated that these steps will enable decisions to be more substantiated and effective.