An overview of women’s work and employment in Azerbaijan
For 2000-2005, the probability of not surviving to age 40 was estimated at the relatively high score of
12.4% of the relevant age cohort. For 2006, life expectancy at birth in Azerbaijan was set at 63.6 years for
males and 70.9 years for females (UNDP 2008). For 2009, life expectancy at birth was estimated at 62.5
years for males, a decrease of 1.1 year, and 71.3 years for females, an increase for the latter of 0.4 year (CIA
World Factbook), enlarging the already large gender difference. The health situation of many men in Az-
erbaijan is quite worrisome. Alcohol and drug dependency among men are growing and in overall terms,
men are much more prone to alcohol and drug dependence than women. Men’s alcohol dependence is
cited as a major “family” problem by many women who are often victims of alcohol-related male violence.
Men are also heavy smokers. Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health issue for men in Azerbaijan and although
women are also susceptible, men constitute over three in four newly emerged and ongoing cases of active
TB (ADB 2009, 53).
The proportion of the population undernourished --living below a minimum level of dietary energy
consumption as defined by the FAO—decreased but is still considerable: it fell from 27% in both 1990-1992
and 1995-1997 to 12% in 2005 (UN MDG Indicators). General health facilities shows some striking spatial
disparities to the detriment of rural areas. In 2006, the share of the population not using an improved water
source was 22%, with still a large spatial divide: 5% in urban areas and 41% in rural areas. Whereas the situ-
ation in urban areas improved (from 18% non-use in 1990), progress in rural areas (49% non-use in 1990)
lagged behind. Moreover, water supply in notably Baku is reported to be intermittent. Water shortages tend
to affect lower income households and particularly poor women more adversely, as they spend a higher pro-
portion of time and income on strategies to cope with such shortages, including queuing for water, water
storage, and treatment like boiling. Also in 2006 the proportion of people not using improved sanitation
facilitaties was 20%, again with considerable differences between the urban (10%) and the rural population
(30%). In the 2000s, these figures remained the same, indicating lack of any progress. Many rural residents
still use traditional pit latrines or open pits (ADB 2005; ADB 2009a; WHO 2009).
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