Baku, March 2, 2025 – The Europe Today: An international online conference on “Refugees and Women” was held on March 1, organized by the Women’s Council of the Western Azerbaijan Community (WAC) with its support. The event, convened ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, aimed to shed light on the human rights violations faced by women expelled from Western Azerbaijan and to advocate for their rights on a global scale.
The conference, recognizing March as Women’s Rights Month, gathered nearly 50 influential women from 12 countries, including leaders of diaspora organizations and key international figures. Among the distinguished participants were Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Chief of the Human and Social Sciences Sector at ISESCO, and Dinara Guliyeva, a diplomat and international expert at ISESCO. Additionally, representatives from the Ana Vatan European Azerbaijani Women’s Organization and the Odlar Yurdu Organization took part in the discussions.
Moderated by Malahat Ibrahimgizi, Chairperson of the WAC Women’s Council, the conference outlined the council’s goals, action plan, and ongoing efforts to facilitate the return to Western Azerbaijan. She emphasized that the Concept of Return to Western Azerbaijan has rapidly evolved into a national ideology.
Tanzila Rustamkhanli, Head of the Coordination Council for International Relations of the Women’s Council, detailed the fundamental principles of the return concept. Ramata Mbaye reaffirmed ISESCO’s strong partnership with Azerbaijan, emphasizing continued collaboration with the WAC, particularly in empowering women in refugee communities.
The event featured speeches from several influential figures, including Dinara Guliyeva, Ilaha Tagiyeva (Belgium), Saadat Karimi (Sweden), Aysel Sadak, Nigar Ogeday, Elif Selçuk, and Eda Genday (Turkiye), Dr. Esmaya Novruzova (Antalya), Shahla Bayramova, Tarana Musayeva, Lachin Babayeva (Boston), and Milli Majlis members Sabina Salmanova, Gunay Aghamali, Sabina Khasayeva, and Parvana Valiyeva. Speakers highlighted the pivotal role of women in achieving the objectives of the Concept of Return to Western Azerbaijan and ensuring justice for displaced Azerbaijani women.
At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted an appeal calling on international organizations and First Ladies worldwide to support the cause of displaced Azerbaijani women and advocate for their rights on global platforms.
