Baku Forum on Human Rights to take place during COP29

A meeting was recently held with Sabina Ymeri, an international development consultant at the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports citing the Ombudsman Office.

The meeting, which focused on discussing the cooperation between the Ombudsman institution and the UN, as well as its specialized agencies in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was attended by Deputy Head of the Office Rashid Rumzadeh and Sevinj Sener, Senior Advisor in the Department of Cooperation with International Organizations and Civil Society Institutions.

During the meeting, Rashid Rumzadeh provided an overview of the Ombudsman’s mandate and highlighted ongoing efforts to protect human rights and freedoms. He emphasized the importance of international cooperation, noting the strong working relationships with the UN and its specialized agencies. Rumzadeh also mentioned several significant projects currently underway and the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan.

The discussion included detailed information on the Ombudsman’s work in areas such as domestic violence prevention, gender equality, the right to health, and environmental rights, all within the framework of the SDGs.

Rashid Rumzadeh also presented updates on recent reforms aimed at improving human rights protections in Azerbaijan. This included information on the Ombudsman’s cooperation with civil society organizations, recent changes to the Constitutional Law on the Ombudsman, and the establishment of new structural divisions within the institution.

The meeting also touched on Azerbaijan’s role as the host for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). It was noted that the Azerbaijani Ombudsman is a member of the COP29 Organizing Committee and that efforts aligned with the SDGs are ongoing. Additionally, it was highlighted that the Baku Forum for the Ombudsman and national human rights institutions will be held as part of COP29.