The Council of Europe Project on “Gender equality and media freedom in Azerbaijan” organised its first steering committee meeting in Baku on 11 May 2018. Twenty representatives of the state authorities, including the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs, the Ombudsman Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, civil society and academia, including the Deans of the Journalism faculties attended the meeting. Ambassador Mr. Zoltan Hernyes, Head of Council of Europe Office in Baku, Mr Aflatun Amashov, Head of Azerbaijani Press Council and Member of Milli Majlis, Mr Jeyhun Garajayev, Judge of the Constitutional Court, Mr Aydin Safikhanli, Head of the Ombudsman Office addressed the audience at the opening session and emphasized the importance of the current project.

The members of the steering committee discussed the implemented activities of the Project in the last 2 months, since the beginning the Project on 1 March 2018 and the work plan for the next 3 months.

The Project brought to the attention of the steering committee the draft revised version of the Code of Ethics for Azerbaijani journalists from a gender equality perspective. The steering committee discussed the revised version, highlighted its importance as it is the first experience in the related field and made their comments. After including all relevant suggestions the Project will submit the draft revised version to an international expert for feedback.

The steering committee also selected the members of the working group, consisting of five local experts for development of new curriculum and teaching course on “Gender equality and media freedom” to be included into the program at Journalism faculties.

The meeting gave an opportunity to Project partners to share their impressions and views on the Project.