Azerbaijan is celebrating March 8 - International Women's Day today.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, this day was established in 1910 at the Second International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen following a proposal by Clara Zetkin.
The day was originally conceived as a day of solidarity for women in their struggle for socio-political and economic equality, as well as for their fundamental rights. In many countries around the world, March 8 is specifically observed as a day for working women. The first celebrations took place in 1911 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark, followed by Russia in 1913. In 1975, the United Nations officially declared March 8 as International Women's Day.
In Azerbaijan, this holiday has been regularly observed since 1917. Following the restoration of independence, the country has taken significant steps to ensure gender equality and women's rights. In 1998, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs was established. Azerbaijan is also represented in the Council of Europe's bureau on women and is a full member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Since 1995, the Republic of Azerbaijan has been a party to the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
International Women's Day is a non-working day in Azerbaijan, reflecting the high value placed on the role of women in the country's social, cultural, and political life. The state consistently implements policies aimed at increasing women's participation in governance and the economy, building on a historical legacy where Azerbaijan became one of the first countries in the East to grant women the right to vote in 1918.
