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 and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation.
Married, with 2 children.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of National Council of Slovakia
The delegation led by Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Richard Raši who is in our country on an official visit have come to the Milli Majlis on 13 May. Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova welcomed the guests.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Prosecutor General of Mongolia
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 6 May with the visiting delegation led by Prosecutor General of Mongolia Jargalsaikhan Banzragch.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Secretary General of Inter-Parliamentary Union
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met on 4 May with Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong who is visiting in our country.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets Ambassador of Greece to Our Country
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to our country Maria K. Papakonstantinou.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Ambassador of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in our country
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in our country Fergus Auld.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Sudan in our Country
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan in our country Anas Eltayeb Elgailani Mustafa.
Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Meets with Minister of State Internet-Information Office of People’s Republic of China
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with the delegation visiting in our country and led by Minister of the State Internet-Information Office of the People’s Republic of China Zhuang Rongwen.
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Parliamentary Network of Non-Aligned Movement and Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Parliamentary Network of Non-Aligned Movement and Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
Speaker of Milli Majlis meets with Speaker of Parliament of Montenegro
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova met with Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić on the sidelines of the 1st Summit of the Speakers of Parliament of Member and Partner States of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.
Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan is given Observer Status in Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan has been given an observer status in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. A relevant ceremony was organised on the sidelines of the 1st Summit of the Speakers of Parliament of Member and Partner States of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean that was held on 7 May.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova Addresses 1st Summit of Speakers of Parliament of Member and Partner States of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
The 1st Summit of the Speakers of Parliament of Member and Partner States of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean was held on 7 May. Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova took part in the Summit.
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova Arrives in Montenegro on a Working Visit
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has arrived in Montenegro on a working visit in order to take part in the 1st Summit of the Speakers of Parliament of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.
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Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of Senate of Federal Assembly of Kingdom of Belgium
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova, currently in the city of Istanbul of Türkiye, has met with President of the Senate of the Federal Assembly of the Kingdom of Belgium Vincent Blondel on the margins of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova meets with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Dominican Republic
Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova has met with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress of the Dominican Republic Alfredo Pacheco on the sidelines of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (IPU) held in Istanbul.