Early years

Early years

Primary School Years

Primary School Years

Adolescence

Adolescence

 

Adolescence

© UNICEF Azerbaijan/2004/Pirozzi

UNICEF-supported Youth Resource Center in Baku

HIV/AIDS

The number of people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing. According to recent official statistics, there are 702 cases of HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan, about 20 per cent of which are females. Their true number could be higher (if only because HIV-testing is not widespread).

In almost one half of the reported cases, injecting drug use was the main mode of transmission (47.6%), with sharing of needles the major immediate cause. Drug trafficking is widespread in the entire region, and it is feared that drug use could continue to rise. Socio-economic decline, discomfort among women in negotiating condom use with their partners and traditional taboos about sexuality could also contribute to the problem.

If nothing is done, it is obvious that the situation could deteriorate significantly, especially in rural areasIf nothing is done, it is obvious that the situation could deteriorate significantly, especially in rural areas. Due to unemployment, an estimated 2 million Azeri men have left the countryside to work in Russia and in the Ukraine, where the virus is still on the upswing. Migrants are considered at risk because they are likely to engage in casual sex when abroad.

In Azerbaijan, UNICEF is focusing on prevention because few people seem to be aware of the threat. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its prevention is weak. Only one third of 10-18-year olds know about HIV/AIDS and slightly more than the two thirds of young people aged 19-24 years believe that the disease can be prevented.

© UNICEF Azerbaijan/2004/Pirozzi

Vulnerable children

Estimates suggest that at least 7-8 per cent of children are out of school.  It is likely that many of those failing to attend are poorer urban/rural children, refugees and internally displaced children, street and working children who are not in school due to financial hardship/opportunity cost of schooling.  Girls in these categories are more likely to be disadvantaged as girls’ labour in domestic activities and household production are more valuable to poor families.

0.3 per cent of children aged 5-14 engage in paid work. 5 per cent participate in unpaid work for someone other than a household member. The percent increases to 10 per cent in the southern region.

The problem of “street children” is relatively new to Azerbaijan. The country first faced the problem in the transition period in the mid 1990s when deterioration of the economic and social status reflected on families. The figures indicating number of children in the street is flexible and seasonal. The latest information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs state that in 2003 over 500 children were registered at the police station only for little criminal or disciplinary measures, out of which 80% are children who are not attending school. 

The survey by International Organization on Migration (IOM) conducted in 2003 reiterates an urgent need to take actions towards protecting vulnerable children (street children, children in institutions) and women  from trafficking. This study found that women age 19-35 are the group most vulnerable to trafficking, although cases of trafficking of children and men were also observed. The young women ended up working in the sex trade, mainly in the Gulf. The problem of “street children” is relatively new to Azerbaijan.

In the survey on “Domestic Violence” conducted by the State Committee on Women’s issues with the assistance of UNICEF in 2001, one fifth of respondents have directly given a positive answer to the question, “Do you have any violence in your family?” But even some of those denying the violence in their family (47.2%) admitted the violence in their families through the answers to supplementary questions. Nearly two thirds of all respondents directly or indirectly admitted the existence of some type of violence in the family.