SPEAKER OF THE MILLI MAJLIS
Sahiba Gafarova
- Welcoming address
- Bio
- Meetings
- Travels
I welcome you to the website of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In the Republic of Azerbaijan, legislative power is exercised by the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Milli Majlis consists of 125 Members. The term of office of each parliamentary convocation is 5 years.
The seventh convocation of the Milli Majlis was formed following the elections held on 1st September 2024. Representatives of 11 political parties were elected to the unicameral 125-seat Parliament. The majority of the parliamentary mandates are held by members of the New Azerbaijan Party, the leading political force in society.
Among the MPs there are prominent political and public figures, scholars as well as specialists and figures in literature and culture. 26 Members of Parliament are women. The Milli Majlis operates 15 committees, 3 commissions, 1 initiative group and 103 working groups for relations with the parliaments of foreign countries.
The Milli Majlis established the Chamber of Accounts of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the performance of the parliamentary function of budgetary control.
Every year, the Milli Majlis hears reports, presentations and information submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Chamber of Accounts, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman), the body responsible for administrative oversight of local authorities and the National Co-ordinator of the prevention of the trafficking in humans as well as relevant executive bodies overseeing gender equality enforcement.
The activities of the Parliament of Azerbaijan rest on the principles of openness and transparency; the website displayed for your attention is one of the manifestations of those principles. I feel certain that the information available at the website will allow you to become better acquainted with the activities of the Legislative Assembly of Azerbaijan.
Sahiba GAFAROVA
Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Elected Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the 6th convocation on 10 March 2020 and of the 7th convocation on 23 September 2024.
Born in the town of Shamkir. Graduated with first-class honours the Russian Language and Literature Faculty of the Azerbaijan Paedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature, and the English Philology Faculty of the Azerbaijan University of Languages. PhD Philology, Professor. Distinguished Teacher. Decorated with the ‘Sharaf’ Order and the Medal of Honour of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Was honoured with the ‘Unity’ Order and the Medal ‘For Strengthening Parliamentary Co-operation’ of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the ‘Druzhba’ Order of Russia, the State Order ‘For the Contribution to Development of Co-operation’ of Turkmenistan as well as the Honorary Diploma and Medal of the University of Warsaw. Honorary Professor of the L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan and the Belarusian State University. Authored various textbooks and educational manuals, monographs and dozens of scientific articles. Proficient in Turkish, English and Russian.
Secondary school teacher in the town of Shamkir during 1978–1981. During 1981–2020, a laboratory assistant, teacher, senior teacher, Associate Professor, Professor and Head of the European Languages Department as well as Prorector for International Relations (pro bono during 2010–2020) at the Baku Slavic University. Also, Dean of the Western Languages Faculty at the Western University during 2000–2004.
Worked at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan via the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Scholarship programme in 2006.
Member of the New Azerbaijan Party.
Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th convocations.
Deputy Chairwoman of the Milli Majlis Family, Women’s and Children’s Affairs Committee in 2015–2020.
Member of the Delegation of Azerbaijan to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe during 2010–2020 and, within the same entity, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Racism and Xenophobia in 2012-2014, the Gender Equality Subcommittee in 2014–2015, Political Co-ordinator of the ‘Women Free from Violence’ Network and General Rapporteur on combatting violence against women in 2015–2017, and Chairwoman of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons and Member of the PACE Bureau in 2016–2018. Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in 2018- 2020.
Head of the Delegations of Azerbaijan to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation currently.
Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
Married, with 2 children.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Speaker of Congress of Deputies of Kingdom of Spain
The delegation led by Speaker of the Congress of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain Francina Armengol Socias, in our country on an official visit, arrived at the Milli Majlis on 23 January.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with NATO Deputy Secretary General
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with a delegation led by Deputy Secretary General of NATO Radmila Šekerinska on 22 January.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Receives TURKPA Secretary General
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has received Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) Ramil Hasan.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 23 December with the delegation led by Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz who are visiting in our country for the 12th meeting of the Joint Inter-Governmental Commission for economic co-operation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Türkiye.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 20 December with a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Ervin Ibrahimović.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets Ambassador of Egypt to Our Country
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 17 December with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to our country Houssam-Eldin Reda.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Head of European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Head of the European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan Marijana Kuyundzhič on 17 December.
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Parliamentary Delegation Visits the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the Sultanate of Oman
As part of her official visit to the Sultanate Oman, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova visited the embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the country’s capital city of Muscat.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sultanate of Oman
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting during her official visit to the Sultanate of Oman with the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr al-Busaidi.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Chairman of Council of State of Sultanate of Oman as part of the official visit to Sultanate of Oman
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting with Chairman of the Council of State of the Sultanate of Oman Abdulmalik Al Khalili as part of her official visit to the Sultanate of Oman. The existence of the bilateral relations based on our countries’ friendship, mutual respect and mutual understanding was underlined at the meeting.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Chairman of Consultative Council of Sultanate of Oman
As part of her official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Chairman of the Consultative Council of this country Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal al-Maawali on 29 January.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Chairman of Consultative Council of Sultanate of Oman
As part of her official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Chairman of the Consultative Council of this country Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal al-Maawali on 29 January.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Arrives in Oman on a Visit
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova arrived in the Sultanate of Oman on an official visit on 28 January.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with President of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting with President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Giulio Centemero on 27 January in the course of her working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).