Qadinlar indd

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In the Name of the Azerba  ani Woman
Rzayeva Hagigat Ali gizi (1907-1969). Azerbaijani singer. People`s Artist of Azerbaijan. 
Salimova Shovkat Shahbaz gizi (1920 - 1999). One of the fi rst women captains in the world. 
Samedova Vajiha Ali gizi (1924-1965). Prominent Azerbaijani painter. Honouured Worker of 
Culture of Azerbaijan. 
Sara Khatun (15th century). Prominent politician and stateswoman. Mother of Uzun Hasan, 
ruler of Akkoyunlu. Known as a talented diplomat in the East and Europe. 
Seyidmammadova Zuleykha Habib gizi (1919-1999). One of the fi rst women pilots of 
Azerbaijan.
Shahnigar Kazimagha gizi (Ranjur) (1850-1899). Azerbaijani poetess.
Shahtakhtinskaya Elmira Habibulla gizi (1930-1996). People`s Painter of Azerbaijan. 
Shekinskaya Barat Habib gizi (1914-1999). Azerbaijani actress. People`s Artist of 
Azerbaijan.
Shikhlinskaya Nigar Huseyn Efendi gizi (1871-1931). Spouse of General Aliagha Shikhlinsky. 
The fi rst Azerbaijani woman with higher education and military rank 
Suleymanova Elmira Teymur gizi (1937). Doctor of chemical sciences, professor. 
Ombudswoman for human rights of Azerbaijan. 
Topchubasheva Reyhan Ibrahim gizi (1905-1970). The fi rst Azerbaijani woman to receive the 
title of Honouured Worker of Culture. 
Tutu Bika (? – 1786). Stateswoman. Wife of Fatali khan of Guba. Sister of a Mir Hamza, 
Garagaytaq ruler.
Vekilova Leyla Mehet gizi (1927-1999). Ballet master. People`s Artist of the USSR. Awarded 
with the order «Shohrat». 
Zeynalova Nasiba Jahangir gizi (1916-2004). Azerbaijani actress. People`s Artist of 
Azerbaijan. Awarded with the order «Shohrat».

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DECREE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATE POLICY ON WOMEN IN 
THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN 
The Azerbaijani women, with their will, purity and devotion have always played an important  
role in our society and in the formation of our moral values. Our folklore has many positive female 
characters.
The female characters of the epos of «Kitabi-Dede Korkut», the foundation of our moral 
values, is still contributing to the universal values. Our poets praised women as the source of 
life and symbol of wisdom. Our great poet Nizami created such female characters as Mehinbanu, 
Nushabe, Fitna and the seven princesses. The Momina Khatun tomb erected by the prominent 
architect Adjami proves the respect of our people to women. 
The activity of the medieval women of Azerbaijan maintained and enrichened our national 
traditions. The poems by prominent poetess of the 12
th
 century Mehseti Ganjavi won recognition 
abroad. 
Gizil Arslan`s wife Gatiba khanum, Ozbek khan`s wife Mehrjan khanum, Uzun Hasan`s mother 
Sara Khatun, Shah Ismail Khatai`s daughter Mehinbanu, Shirvanshah Khalilullah`s wife Pari 
khanum, Shah Abbas` mother Kheyransa Beyim, legendary Tutu Bike are among the prominent 
stateswomen of the medieval Azerbaijan. 
The 19
th
 century is characterized by the activity and successes of women in Azerbaijan. The 
activity of Khurshud Banu Natavan, Aga Beyim Aga (Agabaji), Gonchabeyim, Fatma khanum 
Kemine, Shahnigar khanum, Gamarbeyim Sheyda Garabagi are much remarkable. The political, 
economic and cultural processes ongoing in Azerbaijan in the 19
th
 century gave an incentive to 
the women become literate and take an active part in the public life. 
Establishment of the secular theatre, democratic press, schools, especially schools for females 
opened new opportunities for the development of the Azerbaijani women. Charity was also popular 
then along enlightenment. Charitable societies established by Govhar khanum Gajar, Hamida 
khanum Javanshir, Nigar khanum Shikhlinskaya, Masma khanum Talishinskaya, Saltanat khanum 
Ahmedova played a prominent role in the public life. One of the charitable actions of that time 
was the establishment of Tazapir Mosque by Nabat khanum Ashurbeyli-Rzayeva. Consequently, 
women gained suffrage  for the fi rst time in our history. 
Establishment of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan in 1918 allowed our women become 
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
In the Name of the Azerba  ani Woman

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In the Name of the Azerba  ani Woman
active members of democratic society. The Azerbaijani women gained a lot of achievements, 
became equal with  men during the Soviet regime. 
The fi rst assembly of the Azerbaijani women was held in 1921. The main idea of that assembly 
was the freedom of women. Afterwards, a lot was done to encourage women become literate and 
take an active part in public life. The Institute of Pre-school education for Women established in 
1921 turned into the Female Teacher-training Institute a year later. In 1923 by name of a journal 
the magazine «
rq qadını» («Oriental Woman») started to be published, it became a remarkable 
event in the women movement in Azerbaijan. 
The Second World War urged women to get into labor more widely. Men left for the war, women 
substituted them. A lot of women, such as pilots Leyla Mamedbeyova, Zuleykha Seyidmamedova, 
Sona Nuriyeva, ship captain Shovkat Salimova demonstrated courage in the war. These are the 
bright pages of Azerbaijan connected with women. 
The achievements of the Azerbaijani women during the Soviet time prove their talent and 
industriousness. Actresses Merziye Davudova, Fatma Gadri, Hokume Gurbanova, Munevver 
Kalantarli, Barat Shekinskaya, Leyla Bedirbeyli, Nasiba Zeynalova, Shafi ga Mamedova, 
Amalia Panahova, ballet stars Gamar Almas-zade, Leyla Vekilova, Rafi ga Akhundova, popular 
singers Shovkat Mammadova, Hagigat Rzayeva, Shovkat Alekperova, Sara Gadimova, Rubaba 
Muradova, Fatma Mehraliyeva, Tukezban Ismailova, Zeynab Khanlarova, prominent composers 
Agabaji Rzayeva, Shafi ga Akhundova, Firangiz Ali-zade, great paitners Vajiha Samedova, Reyhan 
Topchubashova, Gullu Mustafayeva, Elmira Shahtakhtinskaya, Maral Rahman-zade contributed 
to the development of our national culture. 
Our women-of-letters such as Nigar Rafi beyli, Mirvarid Dilbazi, Madina Gulgun, Hokuma 
Bulluri, Aziza Jafar-zade, Khanumana Alibeyli contributed to the development of the Azerbaijani 
literature. The assemblies of women held in 1957, 1967, and 1972 played an important role in the 
further development of the women`s movement in Azerbaijan. 
Throughout the 20
th
 century the Azerbaijani women achieved a lot. Serious transformations 
took place in the position of women in socity and family. Despite the achievements, the Soviet 
stereotypes did not take into consideration the traditional values. 
The Azerbaijani women took an active part in the movement of independence. They participated 
in the complicated processes ongoing in the republic in 1988. Among the victims of the tragedy of 
January 20 there were women. Reporter Salatin Askerova and doctor Gultakin Askerova are the 
national heroes of Azerbaijan. There are a lot of women among the refugees who had left their 
homes because of the Armenian occupation. The main problems resulting from the war fell on the 
shoulders of women mostly. The Azerbaijani women, however, have always supported peace. 
The fi rst Constitution of Azerbaijan adopted in 1995 confi rmed the equal right of men and women 
and created a legal basis for the active participation of women in public life. Democratization 
helped the establishment of many women organizations. The major goals of those organizations 
are the improvement of the conditions of women, solution of their problems. 

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