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

An overview of women’s work and employment in Azerbaijan

Management summary

This report provides information on Azerbaijan on behalf of the implementation of the DECISIONS
FOR LIFE project in that country. The DECISIONS FOR LIFE project aims to raise awareness amongst
young female workers about their employment opportunities and career possibilities, family building and the
work-family balance. This report is part of the Inventories, to be made by the University of Amsterdam, for
all 14 countries involved. It focuses on a gender analysis of work and employment.

History (2.1.1). In the 1880s, the first oil boom took place in Azerbaijan. After brief independence from
1918 to 1920, the country realised independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. This was overshadowed by
the Nagorno-Karabakh war with Armenia and an economic crisis that hit women dramatically. The 2000s
witnessed spectacular economic growth, led by growing oil exports and high oil prices.

Governance (2.1.2). Azerbaijan is a secular and unitary republic with a presidential system. Recently the
government’s human rights record remained poor. The Constitution guarantees equality and rights for all
citizens, but enforcement of human and women’s rights is weak. With the 2009 elections, women represen-
tation in parliament came at 11.4%. Domestic violence and sexual harassment are widespread.

Prospects (2.1.3). Though Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell drastically in 2008-09, the global eco-
nomic crisis has had a modest impact on Azerbaijan’s economy. A further decline in jobs in manufacturing
sub-sectors like textiles, garment and leather has negatively affected female employment.

Communication (2.2). Thoiugh the coverage of fixed telephone connections has recently grown, this is
dwarfed by the expansion of the incidence of cell phones, to over three in four of the population in 2008.
By that year, 181 per 1,000 were Internet users. Nearly all households have a TV set. Freedom of press, be
it TV, radio or printed press, is a recurrent problem.

The sectoral labour market structure — Population and employment (2.3.1). Between 2003 and 2008 a growing
”informalisation” of the economy has taken place, in particular concerning women’s employment. With
66% in 2008, women’s Labour Participation Rate (LPR) was 91% of men’s.

The sectoral labour market structure - Unemployment (2.3.2). In the 2000s unemployment fell from 10-13% to
6-7%. The differences between the male and female unemployment rates are marginal. In 2006 unemploy-
ment was highest for girls and young women aged 15-24 (17%), followed by their male peers (15.5%). Most
likely this picture is structural.

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