Azerbaijan Advances on Child Rights Stage at 29th General Assembly in Romania

Azerbaijan's Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) has been officially granted full membership in the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) during its 29th Annual Conference and General Assembly, held in Bucharest, Romania from September 17-19 under the theme “Protecting and Promoting Children’s Right to Physical Health.”

Azerbaijan was represented by Nigar Aghayeva, Head of the Child Rights Protection Unit, and Ayten Tarverdiyeva, Head of the Unit for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The event brought together ombudspersons, child rights experts, and representatives from international and regional institutions to discuss emerging priorities and share best practices in child protection, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

In her address, Nigar Aghayeva highlighted the key achievements of Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman Office in advancing children’s rights. She spoke on recent legislative initiatives, the creation of a dedicated children’s rights unit, expanded institutional powers following amendments to the Constitutional Law “On the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” and the formation of an independent monitoring group to oversee the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Recognizing these developments, ENOC’s General Assembly voted to elevate the Azerbaijani Ombudsman Office from associate to full membership, confirming that the institution now fully meets the requirements outlined in Article 4 of the ENOC Statutes.

Participants of the conference also reviewed ENOC’s past activities, adopted its new strategic action plan, and formally approved a joint statement on the protection of children’s physical health, reflecting the shared commitment of member states to strengthen children’s well-being.

As part of the program, delegates visited the Barnahus Center in Bucharest-a multidisciplinary facility supporting child victims of violence. The visit provided insight into integrated approaches to child protection and rehabilitation.

Azerbaijan’s full membership in ENOC marks a significant milestone in its efforts to align national practices with international child rights standards and deepen cooperation with European partners in the field of human rights.