Organisers of feminist protest announce their demands

Baku/08.03.23/Turan: The organizers of the feminist protest, scheduled for 3 p.m. at Baku's Fountain Square, have released a statement.

It says that the action is held under the slogan: "March 8 - we want to live".

"According to media reports, 11 women were killed in February this year alone. Women are also systematically subjected to other forms of violence by patriarchal institutions - state, family, society. Often this happens in front of young children, moreover, they themselves become targets of violence. In February a large number of women became targets of political revenge and their lives were endangered. It is obvious that the personal correspondence and image exchange of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, who is persecuted by the authorities, was posted online," - reads the statement.

The authors also cite the deterioration of women's economic well-being and social security amid sharp price growth in the country in late 2022 and early 2023.

Women who carry the burden of managing households on their shoulders, single mothers and mothers with many children are the hardest hit.

Note that poverty also adds to women's vulnerability to sexual harassment in the workplace and opens the door to sexual exploitation.

Life is doubly difficult for LGBT+, disabled and elderly women.

"We want to live without fear of murder and violence, without living in poverty, without becoming an instrument of political revenge," the statement went on to say.

The authors of the document demanded the safety of women and LGBT+ representatives, stopping their use as a tool for political revenge.

They also demanded an effective and fair investigation into crimes against these groups in accordance with the law.

The organisers also insist that Azerbaijan adopt the Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence).

They also demand the implementation of policies to improve social welfare and implement material wealth programmes as well as remove obstacles to fight for the rights of women and LGBT+ people.

Recall that the city authorities refused to approve the feminist protest. -06В-