The 10th of December – the day of admission of the “General Declaration for Human Rights” in 1948 by the UNO General Assembly – is celebrated by the world every year as a Day of International Human Rights.
Ongoing measures aimed at the effective protection of human rights and freedoms, the development of civil society are taken in our country, which is loyal to universal values such as democracy and human rights, social progress, effective cooperation is made with reputable international organizations in this area, realization of international obligations by joining more than 50 international deals are kept in focus.
On December 9, round table was held on the theme of “Human Rights and Local self-government” dedicated to the day of International Human Rights in the Ministry of Justice.
The event was attended by senior officials of the Ministry, deputies, national associations of municipalities, representatives of civil society institutions and international organizations.
Aynur Sabitova, the chief of the Human Rights and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Justice, provided information on the works done on provision of human rights which are the state's highest aim, including propaganda of public participation, close cooperation with civil society institutions, and underlined the steps taken in the field local self-government, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in our country and the role of municipalities in ensuring human rights.
Rahman Mammadov, the chief of the Centre for works with Municipalities, told about the works done on provision of legality in the activity of municipalities, methodological assistance to them by the Ministry, organization of effective administrative control, education of members and employees of the municipalities, including a study of international documents on human rights at the Academy of Justice, the European Convention for Human Rights, the European Charter on local self-government, and about the effective cooperation with civil society institutions and international organizations.
A deputy Tahir Rzayev told about improvement of legislation regulating the activity of municipalities, international experience in this field, shared with his ideas on increase of initiation of municipalities in solution of local issues, healthy establishment of municipality-citizen relations, larger enlightenment of population about activity of municipalities, and noted the holding of measures by the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with the national associations of municipalities.
The representatives of civil society institutions – the head of Azerbaijan National Sector of International Human Rights Society Saadat Bananyarli, member of Azerbaijan Human Rights Protection Centre Zaliha Tahirova and the president of Azerbaijan National Non-Governmental Organizations Forum Rauf Zeyni noted the importance of the event, emphasized the publicity of activity of the ministry on separate directions, made offers on improvement of municipalities’ activity in solution of citizens’ local issues, including increase of transparency, propaganda of public participation, enhancement of coordinating activity between the municipalities and NGOs.
At the same time, the representatives of the European Union and German International Cooperation Society, the chairmen of the National Association of Urban, Settlement and Rural Municipalities, attending the event, made speeches on the discussed issues and made useful exchange of ideas.
