CoE conference kicks off in Baku

Baku, September 10 (AzerTAc). A 2-day conference dedicated to the implementation of the strategy and action plan for social cohesion of the member countries of the Council of Europe has kicked off today in Baku. The conference is attended by representatives of 23 Council of Europe member countries, the Council of Europe Secretariat and Azerbaijani state bodies, diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan, the international organizations and NGOs. In his opening remarks, minister of Labor and Social Protection Ministry Salim Muslimov said the event will be held under Azerbaijan's chairmanship at Cabinet of Ministers of the Council of Europe and will involve responsible persons of government agencies in employment and social protection of the CoE member states. At his words, Azerbaijan has ratified 60 important conventions in the field of human rights, including social rights since it became a member of the Council of Europe in 2001. A purposeful work in the field of implementation of the provisions of these documents, including the strategy and action plan for social cohesion, as well as in bringing social legislation with the European one, is being carried out in Azerbaijan, Muslimov emphaszied. In this regard, the Labor and Social Protection Ministry of Azerbaijan cooperates with the appropriate committee of the social cohesion of the Council of Europe. The conference was also addressed by Ana Vukadinović, Chair of the Rapporteur Group of the Committee of Ministers for Social and Health Affairs, María Ochoa-Llido, Head of the Anti-discrimination and Social Cohesion Department, Hadi Rajabli, hairman of the Milli Majlis Social Policy Committee, Sattar Mehbaliyev, chairman of the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation, and Elman Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Social Protection Fund. The conference is continued in plenary sessions.