Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief: Women have specific role in Azerbaijani society

Every nation has certain sources while treating women. Azerbaijani people have special relations with women. These relations were not formed for 10-20 years. They have ancient roots, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov said at a conference "20 years of independent Azerbaijan, state policy towards women and children" on Thursday.

"First, a woman, then a child, are at the heart of the family," he said. "I would add that a woman is at the heart of the society, because a woman is one of the pillars of the society. A woman assists in the society by resolving all problems. I think that women have more merits in human rights, state establishment, science development, civil society building, political, cultural, health and other areas rather than men."

Hasanov said the Azerbaijani people used to treat women specially even before Islam.

"We got small but certain information on the role of women in the history of such states as Manna and Atropatena," he said. "Along with men, women participated in state building. Azerbaijan laid Islamic criteria in the basis of women's policy during the period of Islamic civilization."

He said that in Islam a woman is shown as a sacred person, standing at the head of the family.

"People say paradise lies under the feet of mothers," he added. "We idolize a woman. There are no sources about women's courage and bravery in Islam. A woman is not represented as a hero."

"Dede Gorgud" epic is considered the foundation of Turkism. A woman is represented in the person of brave and honest Burla Khatun. She keeps up the honor and dignity of her family, Hasanov said.

He said that women got the right to elect and be elected for the first time during the period of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in the East.

"Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev laid the basis of modern state policy towards women in Azerbaijan," he said. "The ignorant and incomprehensible policy was conducted against women during the period of the Popular Front. At present, a new policy of a family and women which was commenced in 1993 successfully continues. I do not think that there are few women in Azerbaijani science, culture, politics and state establishment. But women must become more active in these areas and not to stay away from the world values and development. Today, it is enough to watch over Azerbaijani First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva's activity to see the role of Azerbaijani women in representing Azerbaijan to the world."

Hasanov also touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In particular, he said that maintaining the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may cause a new war in the region.

"The international community makes every effort for Azerbaijan not to start a war to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said. "However, the Azerbaijani President has repeatedly stated that Azerbaijan can lose all patience. Azerbaijan can not wait for eternal maintenance of the status quo in the conflict. Azerbaijan uses legal and other means to ensure the territorial integrity."

He said that from this point of view, the international community, especially the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, insistently call for changing the current situation, by considering its preservation unacceptable.

"Somebody tries to deter Azerbaijan from using other means," he said. "Azerbaijan is not a militarist country. It does not pretend to anybody's land. Azerbaijan's main purpose is to protect its state sovereignty, to restore territorial integrity and violated rights of citizens to establish peace in the region. Therefore, Azerbaijan is maximally trying to take advantage of the negotiation process not to resort to military actions. However, if the status quo is not changed, Azerbaijan will likely to use its right. It does not intend to make concessions to anyone else."


/Trend/