WP 92 - An overview of women's work and employment in Azerbaijan

An overview of women’s work and employment in Azerbaijan

and 69 in 2000. However, international organisations have repeatedly stated that neither the country’s meas-
urement of mortality rates nor the final statistics are accurate enough for policy interventions to be made,
particularly in view of the clear discrepancies between official statistics and survey data. For example, in the
early 2000s UNICEF and WHO found a maternity mortality rate of 94 per 100,000 live births, in contrast
to the official figure of 38. The latest maternity mortality rate included in UN statistics was 82 for 2005
(ADB 2009a, 47; WHO 2009; UN Data). Statistical discrepancies may point at underreporting, in particular
through a decline in the use of public health facilities from which official statistics are generated, related to
an increase in home deliveries and the use of traditional birth attendants (TBAs), particularly in rural areas.
Deaths following home deliveries are much less likely to be reported. The UNICEF MICS 2000 survey
found that while skilled assistance at delivery was provided in 88% of births, discrepancies in this attendance
were significant for rich and poor, resident and IDP/R, and urban and rural women. For example, 20% of
poor women giving birth were assisted by TBAs or relatives. A 2001 survey found that almost 36% of rural
women delivered at home (ADB 2005, 47-8). The government has become aware of the need for action in
this field, and initiated the Action Program on protection of mother and child health (2006-2010).

For an indication of the situation of our target group, the adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 wom-
en 15-19 of age) is of special importance. For 2007 the rate for Azerbaijan was set at 44, in international
perspective a figure in the middle range but definitely not very low. Moreover, contrary to the international
trend the adolescent fertility rate showed a rise compared to 1990, when it was 26 (ADB 2009a; WHO
2009). Early marriage is still uncommon, but increasing among poor families living in rural areas in the cen-
tre and south of the country. The same may hold for early pregnancy. A 2001 survey reported an increase in
the proportion of women who had their first birth before the age of 20 from 12% among women currently
40-44 years of age up to 22% for women 20— 24 years of age. Given that 86% of first pregnancies were
terminated through induced abortion, more than one quarter of adolescents seem to have been pregnant
before reaching the age of 20 (ADB 2005, 48).⁷ For 2006, the mean age of women when giving birth to their
first child was set at 23.8 years (UNECE 2009).

7 According to official figures, the incidence of abortions (including illegal abortions) fell from 18 per 1,000 women aged 15-
49 in 1991 to 8.1 per 1,000 in 2006. In that last year only 2.2% of the registered abortions concerned women under age 20
(statistics SSC via website AGIC).

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