Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the past 20 years marked the beginning of a completely new stage of development in the destiny of the Azerbaijani people, during which revolutionary changes took place in the life of our society. Strong and modern Azerbaijan, built by President Ilham Aliyev on the sound and solid foundation formed by the national leader Heydar Aliyev, has taken its rightful place among the countries that confidently step into the future, leaving many fateful problems behind.
Today, the Republic of Azerbaijan is also a country with a strong civil society, a rich legislative base and a favorable environment for the free activity of non-governmental organizations have been formed over the past decades, and important decisions have been made for the development of this sector.
In the first years of the restoration of our independence, the organization of non-governmental organizations was accompanied by a lack of systematicity and fragmentation. National leader Heydar Aliyev successfully conducted the process of defining the general approach and priorities in relation to the civil society by the state. After the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1995, the qualitative and quantitative growth of non-governmental organizations, as well as the differentiation of activities, began. In 2000, a new Law “On Non-Governmental Organizations (Public Associations and Foundations)” was adopted.
The policy of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev turned non-governmental organizations into one of the important institutions of civil society building and the process of democratization of the country, close cooperation of state bodies and NGOs was encouraged based on the principles of equal partnership.
In 2003, after the election of Ilham Aliyev, the worthy follower of national leader Heydar Aliyev, as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a new stage of development began in the life of Azerbaijan’s civil society, and a conceptual approach to this field was introduced.
President Ilham Aliyev approved the concept of state support to non-governmental organizations in a short period of time. This Concept greatly improved and expanded the cooperation mechanisms of state bodies and civil society institutions. After that, rule of law, partnership, transparency, reconciliation and responsibility were defined as 5 main principles of state support to non-governmental organizations.
In 2007, a specialized national donor institute was established with the establishment of the State Support Council for Non-Governmental Organizations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the following years, the number of state institutions that can grant grants to NGOs was gradually increased to 14.
In 2013, President Ilham Aliyev adopted the Law “On Public Participation” in order to activate the participation of civil society institutions in the preparation and implementation of state policy in various areas of state and social life, in decision-making, and to strengthen public control over the activities of state institutions. Formation of Public Councils created the institutional mechanism of participation of NGOs in state policy.
The fact that President Ilham Aliyev sees NGOs as key partners in state programs and national action plans is another example of trust in civil society institutions. This strategic inclusion not only strengthened the role of NGOs, but also increased public confidence in their abilities. The communication of NGOs with state institutions has strengthened and the opportunities to contribute to the development of policies in various fields have expanded.
The results of the 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018 presidential elections once again showed that the choice of the Azerbaijani people is only President Ilham Aliyev.
In 2020, the 44-day Patriotic War left behind the conflict that was the most painful wound of Azerbaijani society, and President Ilham Aliyev, as the victorious Commander-in-Chief, gave every Azerbaijani the joy of victory.
The post-war period defined new goals and tasks for the civil society.
Establishment of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan in April 2021 in the field of increasing the role of non-governmental organizations in the life of the state and society, organizing their activities in accordance with the challenges of the new era, and improving the organizational and legal foundations and mechanisms of state support in this area. it was another step. The agency supports the development of NGOs through competitions, financing of NGO projects at the expense of the state budget, public participation, creation of public control mechanisms and opportunities, providing training and methodical support to NGOs, promoting cooperation with the private sector, and other means and tools.
The past 20-year period once again showed that President Ilham Aliyev has a clear program for the development of civil society institutions, ensuring the active participation of NGOs in society and state life, strengthening their role in protecting state and public interests is one of the main goals, and in this direction, consistent policy is made. If in 2003 the number of NGOs in the country was about 1500, during the past period this number has more than doubled and exceeded 3700.
As a result of the created favorable environment, a civil society has already been formed in Azerbaijan that is capable of guiding regional processes. The action on the Shusha-Khankendi road is one of the clear examples of this.
Now the Republic of Azerbaijan is a state that has fully ensured its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In September 2023, the local anti-terrorist measures that forced the terrorists to raise a white flag and surrender, and to release the toy criminal military junta regime, were written in golden letters in the history of Azerbaijan.
President Ilham Aliyev brings the people and society of Azerbaijan to their dreams, under his leadership, in the past 20 years, unparalleled services have been signed to history, present and future generations. Bright achievements have been achieved in all spheres of socio-economic development, education, culture and state life in general. Azerbaijan has gained great prestige and respect in the international world, and has become a voice.
We, the victorious citizens of the victorious country, as representatives of the civil society of Azerbaijan, are proud of you, Mr. President!
Azerbaijani civil society will continue to guard the national interests of our state and will mobilize all its capabilities in this way.