Statement by H.E. Mrs. Bahar Muradova

Chairperson of the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs of the
Republic of Azerbaijan

on behalf of the Organisation of Turkic States

General Assembly Hall, UNHQ, 9 March 2026

Madam Chair,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Organisation of Turkic States, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, Uzbekistan and my country, Azerbaijan.

The international community, in the Charter of the United Nations, reaffirmed its faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of women and men, thereby calling upon Member States to undertake sustained and meaningful actions to advance these determinations.

At this 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the goals and objectives of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPA) as a comprehensive global policy framework, in particular, to ensuring the full realisation of the human rights of women and girls as an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Madam Chair,

This session's priority theme-ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls - lies at the heart of the full realisation of women's rights, their empowerment and promoting equality between women and men. Concrete progress in this area is also essential for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

We recognize the irreplaceable role that the family plays in any improvement of social conditions, as it is described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as the natural and fundamental group unit of society. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of protecting, nurturing and strengthening the family, and placing it at the centre of efforts to ensure that women enjoy all their rights in the areas addressed in the UDHR.

We underscore the importance of regional and international cooperation in advancing the implementation of the BDPA and fulfilling relevant international commitments. Such cooperation promotes social progress and higher standards of life, in accordance with the UDHR.

Madam Chair,

As a driving force for sustainable development, the necessary conditions, including those related to access to justice, must be created to enable women and girls to contribute equally to the socio-economic progress of societies. Issues such as early and forced marriage, education, employment, and barriers to reproductive health services, in particular for women and girls living in rural areas, must be addressed through robust legislative measures and responsive policy frameworks.

In conclusion, we reiterate our commitment to international cooperation and promoting human security, equality between women and men and empowerment of women in our societies, as reflected in the “Turkic World Vision - 2040”, policy document, adopted at the 8th Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States in 2021.

Thank you.