Azerbaijan: Country Gender Assessment

Abstract

The shift from the command economy of the Soviet Union era to a new market economy has been a challenge for Azerbaijan. In the early transition years, employment fell as state-owned enterprises shut down, health indicators declined as funding to the former health system decreased, and poverty levels increased as many of the former state social protection programs were cut or abolished. In addition, the protracted war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh left more than 800,000 internally displaced persons and refugees (IDP/Rs) requiring state assistance. Recovery from these events has been steady and Azerbaijan has experienced good economic growth over the last decade. A consistent commitment to policy and structural reform, combined with its vast gas and oil reserves, suggest that with sustained efforts Azerbaijan has considerable potential to reduce poverty levels over the next decade.