Abstract
Female education is a controversial topic. Even though government authorities take actions to prevent gender-related issues in education, gender issues arise because of patriarchal communities’ beliefs of women’s roles in society. Women in Azerbaijan usually have no choice in choosing their life path due to society’s traditional sexism. This usually shows itself in the education field, where we can observe the humiliation of female education rights because it is the first and one of the foremost phases for women to overcome the fake barriers created by society’s unfair beliefs. The research study was designed and coordinated by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Azerbaijan, State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs International organization “Promundo,” International Center for Social Research (ICSR) in collaboration with the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and the Azerbaijan State Committee. The data used in this research was examined in terms of female education rights violations. The authors pointed out three main aspects that create the pretext for education rights violation: traditional sexism, religious issues, and gender-related imbalance in career choices. The outcome of the research shed light on the violation of females’ education rights in patriarchal communities by depicting the situation in Azerbaijan society.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aghayeva, K. (2012). Women, men and education in Azerbaijan. Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 15(3), 26–41. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12323/1697
Aghayeva, K. J. (2019). The effect of globalization and democratization on gender equality policy in Azerbaijan. Baku, (11), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.30546/2616-4418.11.2019.76
Alexander, A. C., & Welzel, C. (2011). Islam and patriarchy: How robust is Muslim support for patriarchal values? International Review of Sociology, 21(2), 249–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/03906701.2011.581801
Asian Development Bank. (2019, December). Azerbaijan country gender assesment. Asian Development Bank. https://doi.org/10.22617/TCS190569-2
Autor, D., Figlio, D., Karbownik, K., Roth, J., & Wasserman, M. (2016). School quality and the gender gap in educational achievement. American Economic Review, 106(5), 289–295. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.p20161074
Baskakova, M. (2012). Young people in Azerbaijan: The gender aspect of transition from education to decent work. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---europe/---ro-geneva/---sro-moscow/documents/publication/wcms_345725.pdf
Baye, A., & Monseur, C. (2016). Gender differences in variability and extreme scores in an international context. Large-Scale Assessments in Education, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-015-0015-x
Counterpart International and its partners. (2015). Alternative report to the committee of discrimination against women. Baku. https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/AZE/INT_CEDAW_NGO_AZE_16008_E.pdf
Dilli, S., Rijpma, A., & Carmichael, S. G. (2015). Achieving gender equality: Development versus historical legacies. Cesifo Economic Studies, 61(1), 301–334. https://doi.org/10.1093/cesifo/ifu027
Eble, A., & Hu, F. (2018). The sins of the parents: Persistence of gender bias across generations and the gender gap in math performance. CDEP-CGEG Working Paper. https://cgeg.sipa.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/cgeg/WP53.pdf
Frenzel, A. C., Goetz, T., Pekrun, R., & Watt, H. M. (2010). Development of mathematics interest in adolescence: Influences of gender, family, and school context. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20(2), 507–537. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00645.x
Fryer, R. G., & Levitt, S. D. (2010). An empirical analysis of the gender gap in mathematics. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(2), 210–240. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.2.2.210
Gabriel, D. (2021). Race, ethnicity and gendered educational intersections. Gender and Education, 33(7), 791–797. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2021.1967667
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Teachers College Press.
Geerdink, G., Bergen, T., & Dekkers, H. (2011). Diversity in primary teacher education gender differences in student factors and curriculum perception. Teachers and Teaching, 17(5), 575–596. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2011.602211
Gozalova, N. (2014, 08 13). Challenges for women’s education in independent Azerbaijan. In A. Jödicke, E. v. Zweerde, & A. Agadjanian (Eds.), Religion, nation and democracy in the South Caucasus (pp. 135–148). Routledge.
Hadjar, A., Krolak-Schwerdt, S., & Glock, K. P. (2014). Gender and educational achievement. Educational Research, 56(2), 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2014.898908
Hermann, Z., & Kopasz, M. (2021). Educational policies and the gender gap in test scores: A cross-country analysis. Research Papers in Education, 36(4), 461–482. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1678065
Hochweber, J., & Vieluf, S. (2018). Gender differences in reading achievement and enjoyment of reading: The role of perceived teaching quality. The Journal of Educational Research, 268–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2016.1253536
Huseynli, A. (2022). Social work education in post-Soviet countries: Progress of Azerbaijan. British Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac225
Hussain, S. (2020). Bhal Suwali, Bhal Ghor: Muslim families pursuing cultural authorization in contemporary Assam. Gender and Education, 33(7), 830–846. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2020.1773409
Jaoani, A., Nikolovska, M., Milovanovitch, M., Nielsen, S., & ETF. (2020). Policies for human capital development Azerbaijan. European Training Foundation.
Kaufman, D., Melis, E. M., Mukherjee, A., & Michel-Casulleras, C. (2017, November 1). Gender equality and access to justice in Azerbaijan after 100 years. The World Bank: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/485761512652993362/pdf/6-12-2017-8-59-26-GOVNoteGenderequalityandaccesstoJusticeinAzerbaijanafteryears.pdf
Kingdon, G. G. (2002). The gender gap in educational attainment in India: How much can be explained? The Journal of Development Studies, 39(2), 25–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220380412331322741
Klasen, S. (2002). Low schooling for girls, slower growth for all? Cross-country evidence on the effect of gender inequality in education on economic development. World Bank Economic Review, 16(3), 345–373. https://doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhf004
Kleyman, K. L. (2020). Gender and sex inequalities: Implications and resistance. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 48(4), 281–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2019.1627079
Krasniqi, V. & McPherson, J. (2022). Human rights, social work, and uncertainty: The view from southeast Europe. In V. Krasniqi & J. McPherson (Eds.), Human rights in this age of uncertainty (pp. 1-12). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11728-2_1
Maini, T. S. (2006). Models of female education for developing world. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 45–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2006.9523250
McCleary-Sills, J., Hanmer, L., Parsons, J., & Klugman, J. (2015). Child marriage: A critical barrier to girls’ schooling and gender equality in education. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2015.1075755
Musavi, N. (2019). Azerbaijan: A wedding instead of a graduation. JAM news. https://jam-news.net/azerbaijan-a-wedding-instead-of-a-graduation/
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2010). Holidays of the Republic of Azerbaijan. https://president.az/en/pages/view/azerbaijan/holidays
The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic. (2021). Representatives of Parliament of Azerbaijan Republic. https://meclis.gov.az/index.php?lang=en
Savin-Baden, M., & Major, C. (2013). Qualitative research: The essential guide to theory and practice. Routledge.
SOCAR. (2017). Sustainable development report. https://socar.az/socar/assets/documents/en/socar-annual-reports/annual_report2017.pdf
The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2018). The law on official statistics of the Republic of Azerbaijan. https://www.stat.gov.az/menu/3/Legislation/law_az_en.pdf
The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Women and men in Azerbaijan. https://www.stat.gov.az/source/gender/?lang=en
UN Human Rights Office - OHCHR. (2022). Celebrating 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. UN Human Rights Office - OHCHR: https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/crc/celebrating-30-years-convention-rights-child/pledge-azerbaijan
UNDP. (2007). Azerbaijan human development report gender attitudes in Azerbaijan: Trends and challenges.
UNFPA Azerbaijan. (2018). Azerbaijan country profile global programme to prevent son preference and undervaluing girls: Improving sex ratio at birth in selected countries in Asia and the Caucasus. UNFPA Azerbaijan.
UNFPA EECARO. (2014). Child marriages in Azerbaijan summary. UNFPA EECARO. https://eeca.unfpa.org/en/publications/child-marriage-azerbaijan-summary
UNFPA, State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Family, Women and Children's Affairs, Promundo, & ICSR. (2018). Gender equality and gender relations in Azerbaijan: Current trends and opportunities. Findings from men and gender equality survey (IMAGES). https://azerbaijan.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/gender%20equality-en.pdf
UNICEF. (2016). The rights of children and why they matter. https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/reports/rights-children-and-why-they-matter
UNICEF. (2021). Girls' education. https://www.unicef.org/education/girls-education
United Nations. (1948). Universal declaration of human rights. www.un.org: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
van der Vleuten, L. (2016). Mind the gap! The influence of family systems on the gender education gap in developing countries, 1950–2005. Economic History of Developing Regions, 31(1), 47–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/20780389.2015.1114414
van der Vleuten, M., Jaspers, E., Maas, I., & van der Lippe, T. (2016). Boys’ and girls’ educational choices in secondary education. The role of gender ideology. Educational Studies, 42(2), 181–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2016.1160821
Vezirova, A. (2018). Women in the private sector of Azerbaijan: Opportunities and challenges. UNDP. https://www.az.undp.org/content/azerbaijan/en/home/library/UNDP-AZE-Gender-Assessment-report.html
White & Case LLP. (2014). Child Rights International Network. https://archive.crin.org/sites/default/files/azerbaijan_access_to_justice.pdf
World Bank. (2017a). Data: Girls lower secondary education completion 2007 and 2015. World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.ZS?end=2015&locations=AZ&start=2007.
World Bank. (2017b). Data: Adolescent fertility rates, 2007 and 2015. World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.ADO.TFRT?end=2015&start=2007&view=chart
World Bank. (2022a). Data: Adolescent fertility rates (2016–2020). World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.ADO.TFRT?end=2020&locations=AZ&start=2016
World Bank. (2022b). Data: Lower secondary completion rate (2016–2020). World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.FE.ZS?end=2020&locations=AZ&start=2016&view=chart
Zavirsek, D. (2022). Overcoming troubling practices against Roma and among Roma people: A human rights perspective in Slovenian social work. In V. Krasniqi & J. McPherson (Eds.), Human rights in this age of uncertainty (pp. 13-34). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11728-2_2
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics Approval
IMAGES study followed standard ethical procedures for research on violence. Researchers sampled men and women in different clusters to avoid interviewing men and women in the same households. Confidentiality of the interviews was strictly guarded. Prior to data collection, interviewers were trained on gender, violence, ethical procedures in gender and masculinities research, and how to ask sensitive questions and respond to distressed respondents prior to data collection.
Official statistical data of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan is obtained data at the result of summarizing and processing of administrative and preliminary statistical data on quantitative aspects of social economic, demographic, ecology on quantitative aspects of social processes on the basis of official statistical methodology by the relevant executive bodies and other government authorities implementing production of official statistical data according to this Law and other legislative acts of the Republic of Azerbaijan (The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2018).
Consent to Participate
Oral informed consent was collected before the start of the interview. All respondents were fully informed about the study’s aim and methodology, and they were advised that their participation in the survey was entirely optional, and that they had the option to discontinue the survey at any time or decline to answer any questions (UNFPA; State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs; International organization “Promundo”; ICSR, 2018).
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Hasanova, N., Aghazada, N. The Fake Chains Holding Females Back from Education in Azerbaijan. J. Hum. Rights Soc. Work 9, 71–82 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-024-00293-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-024-00293-4