In Azerbaijan, women constitute a mere 17% of the workforce in transportation and warehousing, 11% in energy, and 8% in construction, according to Saida Baghirli, the Senior Operations Officer at the World Bank's Azerbaijan office. Baghirli shared these insights during the event "Exemplary Leadership in Women's Employment and Career Advancement in Azerbaijan" held in Baku.
Women occupy a small fraction of managerial and technical positions in these sectors, leading to a significant gender pay gap, she said. "The average monthly salary of women in Azerbaijan is approximately 35% lower than that of men," Bagirli revealed. To address this disparity, Azerbaijan has taken several steps, including the elimination of gender-based legal restrictions on women's employment in late 2022, based on analytical materials provided by the World Bank. In 2023, the country also lifted restrictions on women's night work.
Baghirli emphasized that the World Bank prepared these materials under the Gender Advisory Services program, implemented within the framework of the Azerbaijan Flexible Technical Assistance Facility (AZTAF), funded by the European Union. "Occupational segregation remains a persistent challenge globally, and women are underrepresented in high-paying positions. Addressing this is not only a matter of fairness but also an economic opportunity. Increasing women's participation in employment can yield significant economic benefits, boosting productivity, innovation, and GDP," she added.