Gender researches as a way of observing women’s rights – Rafik Ismailov

Stepping into the XXI century we realize the ways of formation and strengthening of the civilization as whole and particularly women’s enhancing role in common and in all mankind’s progress. The new democracy formulas are created on the basis of new thinking which allows to assess women’s role nowadays. Although notion “gender” introduced into practice by International legal regulations, namely by regulations of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (1979) and Peking declaration and the program of actions on women status (1995) a long time ago, in our society category “gender” is at the stage of formation and comprehension. “Gender” mean social relations between sexes. That meaning also includes understanding the necessity of observance the whole population’s rights.
Delaying economic reforms have influenced women’s status in our country very negatively and limited their opportunities in many respects. Today the statistics show that women in percentage are in absolute minority in executive, legislative, judicial authorities, in public organizations and in many other spheres of social and political life of Azerbaijan. As our country revealed it’s aspiration to enter civil world, gender relations in the Azerbaijan Republic, along with other issues of human rights, are to be closely studied. Despite all state programs Azerbaijan is lacking a thought-out strategy on solution of gender problems. Along with state governing structures, so-called third sector i.e. nongovernmental organizations also play considerable role in solving social economic problems. Number of the NGOs in Azerbaijan is growing from year to year. Gender Gap is the main sphere of activity of our human rights organization, too. The staff of “Human Rights in XXI century – Azerbaijan” foundation is planning to carry out Gallup poll among female part of population in different regions of our country to study necessary statistic data uncovering the essence of female problems and providing more sensible approach to solution of the problem. We consider that gender equality means a new view on mutual relations between women and men in society. In this connection it is necessary to study not only local, but also foreign experience, because gender investigations in many countries have become field of interdisciplinary approaches with its terminology and subject of investigation.
In US by 60th investigations on women’s problems became part of educational and research programs. From the beginning of 70th and to nowadays educational courses on gender problems are offered in more than 1000 colleges and universities of USA.
Study of foreign experience will allow thinking over real processes, women’s role and status changing in society.
Gender researches are radical re-understanding women’s life based on their own experience. The main goal of researches is clarification, critical analysis and changing the practice leading to discrimination of women in family, in professional and spiritual life. These investigations are aimed to transform unjust laws standards and customs.
It is evident that development of a genuine civil society is possible, if only people understand that they may assume responsibility and take control over their life in their hands, creating stable societies.