APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
(adopted at the International Online Conference “Displacement and Women”
Western Azerbaijan Community Women Council, which was attended by 50 women activists from 12 countries)
March 1, 2025
We, the participants gathered on this day, March 1, 2025, on the eve of 8 March – International Women’s Day, at the International Online Conference titled “Displacement and Women,” organized by the Western Azerbaijan Community Women Council, solemnly adopt this appeal to the international community. We seek to bring global attention to the enduring suffering of Azerbaijanis forcibly expelled from their ancestral homes in Armenia, with particular emphasis on the profound impact of displacement on women and children. Herein, we articulate our demands for justice, right to peaceful return, the preservation of our cultural heritage, and support for women in their safe and dignified return to and reintegration in our homeland, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and general norms and principles of international law.
Condemning the historical injustice suffered by Western Azerbaijanis, who once formed the majority in Armenia but were systematically and totally expelled through multiple waves of violent ethnic cleansing, the most recent occurring between 1987 and 1991;
Acknowledging the painful burden borne by women and children, who have endured the loss of homes, livelihoods, and communal ties, resulting in deep trauma and disruption of familial and cultural continuity;
Noting with grave concern the destruction by Armenia’s actions of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, including the revered art of carpet weaving—a tradition predominantly upheld by women in Western Azerbaijan and inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010;
Affirming that the loss of such heritage constitutes not only a cultural tragedy but also a violation of the rights of displaced Azerbaijanis to their identity and legacy;
Recalling the UNSCR 1325, which calls for the addressing adverse impact of conflicts on women, and inclusion of women in return and reintegration efforts;
Referring to the relevant Sustainable Development Goals that serve to establish justice and peace, eliminate violence against women, and enhance their role in socio-economic development
We hereby appeal to the international community to:
- Recognize urgently as a priority task the issue of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia and provide unequivocal support for their safe and dignified return to their ancestral homes, as enshrined in international human rights conventions;
- Adopt measures, in line with UNSCR 1325, to support displaced Azerbaijani women in the processes of return and reintegration, ensuring access to social and economic opportunities upon return;
- Assist in preserving and reviving our intangible cultural heritage, particularly the art of carpet weaving, through programs providing displaced Western Azerbaijani women with tools, training, and spaces to sustain this tradition upon return, safeguarding our cultural identity for future generations;
- Make concerted efforts—through diplomatic advocacy, humanitarian aid, and technical cooperation—to address the legacy of displacement and facilitate the restoration of justice for Azerbaijanis, with needs of women and children put as priority;
We express our resolute support for the actions of the Government of Azerbaijan in alleviating the plight of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from Armenia, commending the Great Return Program for former IDPs and the reconstruction program in the territories liberated from Armenia’s three-decade occupation;
We commend the Government of Azerbaijan for its active international humanitarian outreach, which plays a vital role in easing the hardships of women and children;
We resolve that the Western Azerbaijan Community Women Council shall continue tirelessly advocating for the rights of our people, amplifying the voices of displaced Western Azerbaijani women and children, and fostering a future where our community thrive again in our rightful homeland;
We resolve further that this appeal be disseminated widely to governments, international organizations, and civil society, with the earnest expectation of solidarity and action to help to rectify the enduring consequences of our displacement.
Having adopted this appeal unanimously at the International Online Conference titled “Displacement and Women,” organized by the Western Azerbaijan Community Women Council, on 1 March, 2025, we stand united in our pursuit of justice, dignity, and peace.
Western Azerbaijan Community Women Council
