On April 20, the embassies of the Nordic and Baltic countries, in partnership with Gender & Media Watch and Kitabistan Research Center, jointly organized the panel discussion on “The Role of Women’s Leadership in Addressing Global Challenges: Experiences from Azerbaijan and the Nordic-Baltic Countries.”

Bringing together members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organizations, local and international experts, civil society activists, as well as members of the public interested in the topic, the event served as an important platform for a multidimensional dialogue.

The main objective of the event was to discuss the role of women’s leadership in the context of growing global challenges - including conflicts, social inequalities, economic transformations, and changes in the information environment - as well as to present the experiences of Nordic and Baltic countries to Azerbaijani society.

During the opening session, a video message exclusively prepared for the event by the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Inga Ruginiene, was presented. In her message, she emphasized the importance of strengthening women’s leadership, increasing women’s participation in decision-making processes, and building inclusive societies.

This was followed by a screening of excerpts from an exclusive interview with the former President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, to Kitabistan, focusing on the protection of women’s rights and the promotion of women’s leadership.

The panel discussion was moderated by Malak Hajiyeva, co-founder of the Kitabistan Research Center and founder of Gender & Media Watch. Alongside local experts, the panel featured speakers from Nordic and Baltic countries, including: Kanako Mabuchi, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Azerbaijan; Jale Sultanli, Senior Advisor at CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation; Liga Siceva, Representative of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan and Director of International Cooperation, Analytics and Advisory group of “PowerHouse Latvia”; Sabina Najafova, founder of the Menarki menstrual awareness platform and period shop.

The speakers shared their perspectives on increasing women’s representation in leadership positions, their role in decision-making processes, as well as their participation in peacebuilding, business, and social entrepreneurship.

The discussions also addressed institutional mechanisms for promoting gender equality, the impact of societal stereotypes, and the existing barriers and opportunities for realizing women’s leadership potential. Panelists emphasized, based on regional and international experiences, that strengthening women’s leadership is essential for building inclusive and sustainable societies.

The event was attended in person by Ambassador of Denmark to Turkiye and Azerbaijan Mr. Ole Toft, Ambassador of Finland to the South Caucasus Ms. Kirsti Narinen, Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan Mr. Edgars Skuja, Ambassador of Lithuania to Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan Mr. Kęstutis Vaškelevičius, Ambassador of Sweden to Azerbaijan Mr. Tobias Lorentzson, Chargé d’Affaires of Estonia to Azerbaijan Mr. Jaak Lensment, Ambassador of the European Union to Azerbaijan Ms. Marijana Kujundzic, Ambassador of Belgium to Azerbaijan Mr. Julien de Fraipont, and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Azerbaijan Ms. Marianne de Jong.

The event continued with an interactive Q&A session.

 

22.04.2026