Fourth Session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues Guaranteeing the Rights of Minority Women 29-30th November 2011, Geneva Statement by Khuraman Muradzade World Azerbaijanis' Union Dear Chairperson, Dear I, Khuraman Muradzade, the representative of the World Azerbaijanians' Union would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to make a statement on behalf of the minority communities in Azerbaijan on the rights of minority women to education and social and political participation. After obtaining independence in 1991 Azerbaijan became an independent country. For the last 20 years Azerbaijan and has acceded to a number of international human rights treaties. Minorities in Azerbaijan consitutute approximately 10% of the population, the largest groups being the Lezgins, Russians, Armenians and Talysh. Minorities in Azerbaijan mainly reside in rural regions. In addition, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia in the 90's resulted in 20% pf the territory being occupied and 1 million refugees from the occupied regions and 250,000 Azeri minority IDPs from Armenia. Many IDPS and refugees were settled in rural minority areas, meaning there are fewer resources for the regions to focus specifically on minority issues. - A number of minorities have left Azerbaijan because of social pressures in rural areas, particuarly becuase of high unemployment, with the countries economy focus'ed on the capitol Baku and oil exploitation. Forming family values therefore and new approaches to the modern life and globalization has therefore not been easy for minorities in Azerbaijan and the situation for minority women in mostly traditional communities is even more challenging. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (Article 26), the. Convention on the .Rights of the Child (Article 28 and 29), the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Article 10), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms , of Discrimination (Article 5), the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education( Article 1,3 and 4) all recognize the right on education. All of which are ratified by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan as a State Party to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities since 2000 undertook to, implement the provisions contained in this international treaty. Specifically, Azerbaijan acceded to CEDAW( the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) in, 1995 and submits periodic reports to its monitoring committee. Azerbaijan also signed the optional Protocol to against women which entered info force on February 16, 2001. Considering the importance of the women and children issues in our society there was established the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs by Presidential Decree on January 14, 1998. Also a law "On Gender Equality" adopted by National Parliament (Milli Majlis) has been adopted. The women comprise 50,4 per cent of population there. The Azerbaijan Government has also undertaken number of activities to.ensure e universal