Larry King Talks Women's Rights In Azerbaijan

well, all I can say - all what you can see in villages today is the result of devastating policies of USSR and Communist rejime, where Azerbaijan was artificially and purposefully underdeveloped in order to avoid it raising it's head for independence. Knowing how rich Azerbiajan actually is and absolutely capable of being independent, USSR rulers have driven the level of life down in Azerbaijan until it was put stop to by Heydar Aliev in 1970s when he started to industrialise the country, build roads, schools, hospitals, fabrics, plants etc. It's during his rule when Azeris started to participate in military service and education - until then Muslims (mainly Turkic people) of the USSR were not required to go to regular army and if they did they were sent to kitchens and building sites, not to learn military art - all part of the policy of USSR to prevent Turkic nations of USSR from becoming self-sufficient, knowing all this countries' rich natural reserves (Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan all are very rich in natural resources). Absence of regular army in Azerbaijan and sufficient personnel educate din military art was the reason Azerbaijan lost the forst phas eof the war with aggressing Armenia and Karabakh! So, that was in the past. And today the governetn is changing it - the President, the First lady are driving the change - they make sure all areas of Azerbaijan including high land villages have gaz, water, roads, schools hospitals - this is in the Government Development Plan, phases 1 and 2 (phase 1 completed successfully, encompassing larger towns, phase 2 is addressing issues in rural areas). The work is evident - people can see it happening. It's slower than the country's potential dictates, but the USSR heritage keeps pulling efforts down, so it will require time to gain the needed speed. Women rights are better that in the other post Soviet republics (exclude Baltic states). Do not mix culture, heritage, religion with sinister program to enslave women or purposeful neglect - this is not what it is. It is exactly the opposite the governemtn is trying to achieve now - break national mentality, stereotypes, make women want to bring themselves up to the same level with men, by giving them equal opportunities - but women themselves are adamant, they are not interested, they are more interested in family lives than careers, they choose not to study (I'm a woman myslef) and marry at early age. They don't stand up to the tradition of father deciding what happens in the family which urban girls have done. Azerbaijan is a secualr country but some ancient Muslim traditions remain in values and culture, although the religion is no longer practiced. So, people themsleves will not drive this - people like Mehriban Alieva, Leyla can and women will follow them, not some other political leader-women in the country? Why? Ask Azeri mentality - this is how it works, stop measuring Azeris with the western measure - it won't work, it's wrong to do so - Azeris have their own distinct culture and traditons which have to be taken into consideration. Slowly but surely Azerbaijan will reach it's goal. In the end of the day it was in Azerbaijan where women got equal rights with men BEFORE USA and most European countries! Not only they took off the veil in 1918 but also received equal right for education, work, voting, etc. And this is what our government is continuing now, after the Dark Ages of the USSR which practically stopped sometime around 2003-2004! JUST recently, once we got out of the hole the USSR collapse threw us in, regained control economically a dpolitically. Stop bashing, open your minds up - learn, eliminate your ignorance, stop preaching - otherwise it will be seen as yet another sponsored black PR against Azerbaijan :-)

I agree, who cares about women's rights anyways? It is not politically profitable if we're not either bashing Islam or criticizing some unfriendly governments/dictatorships.

And I could not think of anything more ridiculous that listening to barbie-girl Mrs. Aliyeva or foreigner Mrs. Roelofs taking about women's rights in the countries their husbands run.

Long Live "Kurdish Independence & Democracy" in that case. Who are you - terrorist from PKK, are you? Please go mind your own business - you have far worse problems not only with democracy and development but also terrorism and horrendously treating your women - at least in Azerbaijan we don't throw acid in girls faces if they refuse to marry an old man! We don't sell them for money! We don't cover them up and shove in far corner like your lot is prone to do! Kurdish women have some freedom only thanks to democracy in Turkey, without which you would be worse than Afghanistan... Kurdish women are amongst most opressed, so pleae go back to your own quazi-country and lick your own wounds. And watch Azerbaijan with awe and jealousy - see how it will florish, blossom in front of your jealous eyes. Give us 10 years more - the world will be AMAZED :-)

Trolling persians...