The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today completed its review of the fourth periodic report of Azerbaijan on measures taken to implement the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, inquiring about discrimination against sexual minorities, and about women's labour rights, notably their access to all professions.
Committee Experts asked about measures Azerbaijan had taken to address the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also asked for statistical data on investigations, prosecutions and convictions for corruption. On the broad issue of discrimination, the Committee asked Azerbaijan to detail the steps it had taken toward adopting all-inclusive anti-discrimination legislation, and also asked about the right to just and favourable conditions of work, as well as asking what progress the country had made in abolishing its list of professions barred to women. The Committee also pursued more information on the improvements Azerbaijan had made in its health and education system, in accordance with the Covenant.
Khalaf Khalafov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and head of the delegation, updated the Committee on progress made since the submission of the report, which covered the period from 2013 to 2018. During the recent war with Armenia, religious and cultural monuments had been destroyed. Turning to other developments in the country, he explained that Azerbaijan had implemented forums where public services were provided in a comprehensive manner. As for the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, about half the target population had been fully vaccinated. On the subject of the healthcare system, reforms would introduce compulsory medical insurance from 2020, which was aimed at creating additional sources of health care financing and mobilising new resources.
