Dear delegates of the Congress!
Dear women!
I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of the opening of the Fourth Congress of Azerbaijani women, and wish each of you good health, happiness and success, and good luck to the Congress.
Azerbaijani women have gone down in history as a talented poetess, a wise ruler and an affectionate mother.
The carpets they have woven, their embroidery, the lullabies and Bayati they have composed, the fairy tales and legends they have passed down from one generation to another as a gift have become a worthy contribution to the inexhaustible cultural treasure of our people. All this has played an important part in the preservation of the national traditions and customs, language and cultural values.
The works devoted to our women glorify the Azerbaijani woman as the mother of geniuses and heroes. Our women have gained the right to elect and be elected earlier than women in many developed countries. Today they are widely represented in all spheres of life. The elimination of illiteracy in our country set the stage for them to master such professions as the teacher, doctor, engineer, opened up the opportunities for them to realize their innate talents in the field of science and culture, and radically changed the status of women in society.
The political, economic and social crisis which resulted from the collapse of the Soviet Union has left a deep mark on the fate of every Azerbaijani woman. During the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict we were dragged into, Azerbaijani women offered many casualties, were expelled from their native lands and had to live a life of refugees and displaced persons.
In the creative process associated with the period of independence, our women have made every effort and spared no effort, knowledge and skill in the name of the development and prosperity of our country. The achievements of Azerbaijani women in the consolidation of our country in 1993-2003 are undeniable. This period has gone down in history as one of stability and development, the establishment of the principles of national statehood, formation of international relations, political and economic reforms.
Azerbaijani women have put in tremendous work to achieve the unimaginable success of the last 10 years, create a diverse economy in the country, implement the regional development program, establish a democratic atmosphere and strengthen our civil society.
The social policy carried out in our country is aimed primarily at every Azerbaijani family, every Azerbaijani woman and every Azerbaijani child. I am confident that our women will actively participate in the implementation of all of our forward-looking intentions, including the "Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future" concept, and will do apply every effort for the prosperity of our country.
I do hope that your Congress will review the work of both government agencies and the women's organizations of the civil society in terms of the implementation of the gender policy over the past five years, and put new tasks in front of them. I believe that the new strategies and action programs formed as a result of your fruitful work will be successfully implemented and serve further development of our country.
With best wishes,
Ilham Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku city, 13 June 2013
