International Women's Day 2022 emphasizes the innovative initiatives of women in the process of achieving sustainable development and the importance of their activities in the fight against climate change. In this regard, the main goal of the two-day multidisciplinary festival is to support women's sustainable initiatives and entrepreneurship, as well as to expand support mechanisms to increase knowledge and skills to ensure the sustainability of existing activities & businesses.
After a brief presentation on the project by Maryam Majidova, co-founder of the Gender Hub Azerbaijan social platform in the opening ceremony of the festival, the Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Sadagat Gahramanova, Partnership and Development Finance Officer of the UN Office in Baku Shams Mustafayeva, Pasha Holding Corporate Social Responsibility and Branding Officer Gunel Huseynova and UNDP Project Manager Vusala Garayeva spoke to the audience.
Aytaj Mukhtarzadeh, the Chief Corporate Communications Specialist of PASHA Holding, stated that the issue of women's entrepreneurship is relevant both nationally and globally and is one of the areas of importance for PASHA Holding's CSR strategy. "In support of this event, our company aims to create opportunities for women entrepreneurs to present their products, provide them with relevant knowledge and skills, as well as to demonstrate these women to non-entrepreneur women in order to motivate the latter to start their own businesses " Mukhtarzade added.
In addition to selling the products of women entrepreneurs at the festival, which was attended by a total of 65 entrepreneurs and almost 300 people from Baku and the regions, parallel panel discussions on the topic of “Gender Equality Today, For a Sustainable Tomorrow” by ADA University Dean Anar Valiyev, Senior Project Manager of the Council of Europe Office in Baku Parvana Bayramova, Client Relations Manager of MC Kinsey & Co Global Management Consulting Natavan Mammadova and Communication and Sustainable Development Manager, co-chair of Holcim Azerbaijan & ''Yuva'' NGO Rena Tahirova and a workshop on "Practice of physical embodiment" by the founder of DanceAbility Azerbaijan platform Nigar Sultanova were conducted. Afterward, a networking meeting of the participants and entrepreneurs with the stakeholders took place.
On March 6th, the second day of the festival continued with the opening speech by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Azerbaijan Pauline Eisema.
On the 2nd day of the festival, panel discussions on the topic of “BreakingtheBias: Fighting with professional gender stereotypes in Azerbaijan” were carried out by the multimedia artist and founder of "VARYOX" platform Sitara Ibrahimbeyli, blogger, and gender activist Vafa Ali, SDG15 Ambassador Gulsara Qasimova, food blogger and influencer Nigar Askerova, founder of Femtech platform Nazrin Guluzadeh and founder of BUTA Art & Sweets Sara Rajabli, moderated by SDG 5 Young Ambassador Saadat Agayeva. Along with the panel discussions, a seminar on the "Regulation of entrepreneurial activity in the legislation" was facilitated by the Social Rights Center's EMC Lawyer Inara Jamal, followed by a special entertainment program. The festival was also attended by distinguished guests such as photographer Reza Deghati and representatives of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
#StereotipləriQıraq #BreaktheBias #IWD2022