Written declaration | Doc. 11657 | 24 June 2008

Encouragement of the Council of Europe and its member states to support the activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in enhancing the role of women in society

Signatories: Ms Ganira PASHAYEVA, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Ryszard BENDER, Poland, EDG ; Lord Tim BOSWELL, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Nigel EVANS, United Kingdom ; Mr Valeriy FEDOROV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan, SOC ; Mr Kastriot ISLAMI, Albania, SOC ; Mr Tadeusz IWIŃSKI, Poland, SOC ; Ms Birgen KELEŞ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Konstantin KOSACHEV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Oleg LEBEDEV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Humfrey MALINS, United Kingdom ; Mr Mikhail MARGELOV, Russian Federation ; Ms Nursuna MEMECAN, Turkey, ALDE ; Mr Yury SOLONIN, Russian Federation, EDG ; Ms Elene TEVDORADZE, Georgia ; Mr Nikolay TULAEV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Ilyas UMAKHANOV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Mustafa ÜNAL, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Ms Tatiana VOLOZHINSKAYA, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Łukasz ZBONIKOWSKI, Poland

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The undersigned,

1. Considering that the Assembly, in its report in Doc. 11612 of 20 May 2008, invited member states to take a number of concrete measures to empower women in a modern society;

2. Noting that domestic empowerment of women will eventually contribute to strengthening their role internationally and will have an impact on European and global peace and stability;

3. Underlining the necessity to encourage women’s involvement in international affairs;

4. Taking into consideration the active role of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and especially its president, Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, in initiating and strengthening women’s dialogue for the promotion of intercultural understanding;

5. Welcoming the international forum “Expanding the Role of Women in Cross-Cultural Dialogue”, organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Baku, which brought together hundreds of prominent women, officials and experts from up to 60 countries and international organisations, who called on the states and on civil society to spare no efforts in promoting gender equality, sustainable dialogue, tolerance and justice;

6. Call on the Council of Europe and its member states to expand further its agenda on women’s empowerment and support, and to contribute, where applicable, to activities such as those carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its president, Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, to this end.