Azerbaijani MP attacks “gender equality” concept

In a parliamentary speech on May 29, Zahid Oruc, Chair of the Human Rights Committee of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, voiced fierce opposition to the concept of gender equality, framing it as a threat to national values, the legal system, and the family institution.

While acknowledging Azerbaijan’s obligations before the Council of Europe and the need to align legal norms with international standards, Oruc warned that “‘gender’ has entered our public lexicon as a form of soft power weaponized against us.” He claimed that behind these terms lie “intentional ideological approaches,” though stopped short of directly attributing them to any actors.

The deputy asserted that if the true aim is to strengthen families, then discussions must exclude terms such as "gender" that, in his view, undermine the sanctity of the institution.

Oruc’s remarks align closely with recent developments in Turkey, where the Ministry of Family and Social Services has issued a nationwide directive calling on state institutions to avoid terms such as “gender,” “gender identity,” “sexual orientation,” and “comprehensive sexuality education.” Signed by Tuncay Cevheroğlu, the letter explicitly targets LGBTI+ communities and argues these concepts “threaten women, children, and society at large.”

Similarly, in the United States, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14168 on January 20, 2025, mandating that the federal government recognize only two immutable sexes, male and female, assigned at birth.

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