Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Shahin

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The Sustainable and Operative Social Provision Agency (DOST), established by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated August 9, 2018, is turning 6 years old, Azernews reports.

The DOST concept, which was initiated by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, is one of the important achievements of the social reforms carried out in Azerbaijan in recent years. This concept ensures the provision of 159 social services in 15 directions in the fields of labor, employment, disability, rehabilitation, social protection, and social security from a single window, on modern and flexible, fully transparent mechanisms, by citizen satisfaction.

President Ilham Aliyev said, "Our policy is almost reflected in DOST centers - reform, innovation, fight against corruption, bribery, new technologies, involvement of young people in these works, activities of volunteers. These centers reflect the face of modern Azerbaijan, and our country should develop in this way. "Modernity, innovation, reforms, the large participation of young people in these works will serve the development of our country," he stressed.

According to information provided by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, seven DOST Centers have been established so far in Baku, Absheron, and Barda districts. Additionally, a "Smart DOST" service point has been set up in Agali village of Zangilan, and a branch of the Karabakh Regional DOST Center has been opened in Shusha.

Over the past period, more than 2.8 million citizens have been served at DOST centers, with a citizen satisfaction rate of 98.2 percent. The "DOST Call Center 142" handled approximately 6 million citizen inquiries during this time.

Currently, project, repair, and construction works are underway to establish the DOST service network in Nakhchivan, Guba, Sabirabad, Sumgait, Ganja, and Masalli. A total of 17 new Regional DOST Centers and 55 DOST branches are planned.

The DOST concept, a new initiative from Azerbaijan, has received high praise internationally and has been recognized as one of the advanced practices in social innovation. The DOST Agency has been awarded over 30 international awards and certificates, including special awards from the European Social Network, the International Social Security Association, and the International Pension and Social Funds Association.

In the "EU Business Environment Report 2021," DOST centers were highlighted as one of the three leading reforms in Azerbaijan. The number of countries interested in learning from and applying the DOST experience, recognized by the UN as "Innovative Public Service Solutions," is growing, and experience is being shared with these countries.

The "Volunteer DOST" program has played a significant role in expanding the volunteer movement in Azerbaijan. Approximately 120,000 applications were submitted to the program in the past period, with more than 5,200 individuals participating. The "Volunteer DOST" program has also received several international awards, including winning the "Global HR Summit 2023" international competition.

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