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Akbar Novruz

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Aydin Safikhanli, Head of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan, participated in the 2024 International Ombudsman Summit in Hong Kong, held to mark the 35th anniversary of the Ombudsman Institute, Azernews reports.

During his speech, Safikhanli provided extensive insights into the Ombudsman’s role in safeguarding human rights, emphasizing initiatives related to the rights of children, persons with disabilities, and the protection of the environment.

Safikhanli shared information on the national preventive mechanism implemented by the Ombudsman, alongside positive practices in the field of human rights protection. He particularly highlighted Azerbaijan’s commitment to environmental issues, mentioning the Ombudsman’s work in climate change advocacy and environmental protection.

Focusing on the successful outcomes of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), Safikhanli highlighted Azerbaijan’s leadership in setting new targets to ensure a healthy environment for all people. He pointed out the allocation of $300 billion in annual financial assistance from developed countries to developing nations to combat and prepare for climate change by 2035. Safikhanli also emphasized the importance of these measures in ensuring people’s right to live in a healthy environment.

As part of Azerbaijan’s active participation in COP29, Safikhanli informed the summit that the Ombudsman Institution was closely involved in the conference, with the Commissioner being a member of the COP29 Organizing Committee. Additionally, the Ombudsman held a side event at COP29 and conducted research to address pressing environmental challenges.

In his address, Safikhanli also shed light on the impact of armed conflicts on human rights, with a specific focus on Azerbaijan’s suffering due to its long-standing conflict with Armenia. He noted that Armenia had caused significant environmental damage in the territories it occupied, including pollution of water resources with chemical waste and committing ecocide, urbicide, and mine terrorism. The Ombudsman’s office has conducted fact-finding missions in the recently liberated territories of Azerbaijan, both independently and in collaboration with international organizations, to document these violations. Reports and statements based on these findings have been sent to international bodies to raise awareness and urge action.

Safikhanli concluded by calling for collective international action against such human rights abuses, urging ombudsmen and national human rights institutions worldwide to cooperate in addressing these issues, which pose a grave threat to humanity.