Law on Youth Policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The Law defines the purposes, principles, directions, legal-organizational basis of the Youth Policy in the Republic of Azerbaijan and regulates the relations in this sphere.

Chapter I. General regulations

Article 1. Key concepts

1.0. The concepts used in this Law express the following meanings:

1.0.1. Youth policy – an activity system aimed at establishment of social-political, social-economic, legal-organizational conditions and guarantee by the government in order to ensure all-round development of youth, their active participation in social life;

1.0.2. Youth – individuals at the age of 14 to 29;

1.0.3. Young family – a family created by the marriage of individuals  at the age of not over 35, as well as a single parent patronizing at least one child and being not over 35 years old;

1.0.4. Talented youth – youth with a special competence in education, science, technology, culture, sport and other spheres;

1.0.5. Youth organizations – non-governmental organizations (public unions and funds) established under the rules defined in the legislation in order to handle problems of youth, protection of their rights, satisfying their spiritual needs, etc.

Article 2. Legislation on Youth Policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Legislation on Youth Policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan consists of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, this Law, other legal-normative acts and international agreements that the Republic of Azerbaijan adheres.

Article 3. Purposes and Principles of the Youth policy

3.1. The main purposes of the youth policy in the Republic of Azerbaijan is to create conditions for physical, mental and spiritual development of youth, to assist in realization of their abilities and competences, settlement of their social problems and guarantee of protection of their rights.

3.2. Main principles of the youth policy are the following:

3.2.1. Bringing up youth in the spirit of respect for the history, cultural heritage, traditions, state language and symbols, national-spiritual and universal human values under the principles of patriotism, nationality, worldview;

3.2.2. Ensuring active participation of youth in social-political, social-economic and cultural life of the society, focus their intellectual and creative potential on settlement of national problems;

 3.2.3. Observing equality between women and men in realization of the youth policy;

3.2.4. Unacceptability of any limitation of youth rights and freedoms due to the age, except the cases defined in the legislation.

Article 4. Objectives of the government in the sphere of realization of the youth policy

4.0. Objectives of the government in the sphere of realization of the youth policy are the following:

4.0.1. Preparation and implementation of legislation acts and state programs in the sphere of youth policy;

4.0.2. Coordination of activities of individuals and legal entities in the sphere of youth affairs;

4.0.3. Realization of activities in the sphere of education, training, physical, mental and moral development of youth, protection of their health;

4.0.4. Realizing of activities in the sphere of improvement of vocational training, employment of youth, their knowledge on entrepreneurship activity, basis of market economy;

4.0.5. Realization of data maintenance in the sphere of youth policy;

4.0.6. Preparing youth to military service;

4.0.7. Funding of activities in the sphere of youth policy;

4.0.8. Organizing of scientific researches related to analysis of youth status and settlement of their problems;

4.0.9. Creating opportunities for participation of Azerbaijani youth at international events, for promotion of mutual relations with world youth, as well as young Azerbaijanis living abroad.

4.0.10. Establishment of the Youth Foundation at the aim of strengthening peace, mutual understanding and cooperation between the world youth, stimulation of activities connected with youth policy targeted to science, education, culture and other social and humanitarian fields;

4.0.11. Ensuring preparation of specialists in the sphere of youth policy;

4.0.12. Implementing of activities targeted to development of talented and creative youth and promotion of their abilities;

4.0.13. Providing youth with knowledge in the field of family planning and reproductive health, improving the function of institutions operating in this field.

Chapter II. Main directions of the Youth policy

Article 5. Moral-spiritual education of youth and their participation in cultural life

5.1. Relevant executive power bodies are realizing the conduction of military-applied kinds of sport and military-sport games, involvement of youth to cultural events in order to bring up them in the spirit of patriotism.

5.2. The government  assists in formation of world outlook of youth, preparation of TV and radio broadcast, theatre plays and movies, publication of literature and media targeted to their moral-spiritual education.

5.3. Relevant executive power bodies are conducting activities for moral-spiritual education of youth, reducing and preventing criminality, necromancy and other negative addictions among them, as well as social adaptation of youth released from penitentiary institutions.

5.4. Discounts can be defined by relevant executive power bodies and local self-government bodies for the use of theatre, concert and exhibition halls, creativity workshops, studios, laboratories by youth and youth organizations.

5.5.“Youth house”- social service institutions network – is an establishment under the rules defined by relevant executive power bodies in order to strengthen patriotism among youth, organize their harmonious promotion and free time, provide psychological rehabilitation, legal and informational assistance.

Article 6. Government support to talented youth

6.1. The government secures talented and creative youth in continuation of education, regardless of their social and financial conditions.

6.2. Talented youth who need social defense can be provided with credits by paying back after graduation under the rules defined in the legislation.

6.3. The government sets opportunities for talented youth to study modern professions and specialties, to take internships in the Republic of Azerbaijan and abroad.

6.4. Government and local self-government bodies, individuals and legal entities can set up special grants, bonuses and scholarships.

Article 7. Protection of youth health and their physical development

7.1. Relevant executive power bodies realize activities in the sphere of extending medical assistance to youth, organizing their free time.

7.2. Medical services are organized in education system. Relevant executive power bodies annually ensure complex medical examination of full-time students at the expense of education institutions.

7.3. The use of physical training and sports facilities being a government property by youth is defined by relevant executive power bodies.

7.4. The use of physical training and sports facilities being a municipal property by youth is defined by local self-government bodies.

Article 8. Ensuring employment of youth

8.1. The government extends its assistance in employment of youth through creation of new workplaces, organizing job fairs, vocational training, re-preparation and professional development courses. Relevant executive power bodies and local self-government bodies set out involvement of youth to paid social work at the aim of ensuring their temporary employment.

8.2. Relevant executive power bodies and local self-government bodies prepares and realizes programs on re-preparation, professional development and employment of demobilized youth, as well as those dismissed from privatized institutions and organizations.

8.3. Government bodies help young farmers and other entrepreneurs through conducting relevant programs and projects.

8.4. Youth residing on border and mountainous areas, moving to those areas for permanent residence, as well as those willing to deal with farming and other entrepreneurship activities are first secured with land and discounted loans under the rules defined in the legislation at first.

8.5. Under the rules defined in the legislation jobs and positions of youth are kept during their military service regardless of property type and legal-organizational form, except cases of liquidation of the enterprise, reduction of number of employees and staff.

Article 9. Government support to young families

9.1. Young families are offered discounted soft mortgage credits and loans to build house or buy a flat, create household in the capacity and rules defined in the legislation.

9.2. Relevant executive power body ensures conduction of social research work related to young families and creates a database.

Article 10. Government support to youth organizations

10.1. The government sets opportunities for formation and development of youth organizations.

10.2. Programs (projects) prepared by youth organizations in accordance with the main directions of the youth policy can be funded by the state budget being selected on the basis of competition. Means required for funding of programs (projects) are included to the cost budget of the relevant executive power bodies.

10.3. The implementation of programs (projects) in the sphere of youth policy can be entrusted to the youth organizations.

Chapter III. Organizational, material and financial support of youth policy implementation

Article 11. Participation of youth in formation and implementation of youth policy

Youth can propose suggestions to government bodies; participate in preparation of relevant legislative acts and programs according to the main directions of youth policy directly or through the organizations that they created.

Article 12. Participation of local self-government bodies in realization of youth policy

12.1. Local self-government bodies can prepare and implement programs aimed at social-legal protection of youth within their power. Decisions made under these programs should match the objectives, principles and directions of youth policy.

12.2. Relevant executive power bodies provide local self-government bodies with organizational-methodical assistance in realization of youth policy.

Article 13. Material and financial support of realization of youth policy

13.1. The government secures protection of properties dealing with organization of education, training and free time, as well as physical and spiritual improvement of youth. It is not permitted to change their functional assignment or use them for other purposes in 5 years after such properties are privatized under the rules defined in the legislation.

13.2. Youth policy activities are funded at the expense of the state budget, as well as other not prohibited sources.

Article 14. Final regulations

14.1. The law enters into force from the date of publication.

14.2. The Law “On state youth policy” of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Information of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 1991, number 24, Article 446) will be considered as lost its force from the date this Law enters into force.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Heydar ALIYEV

Baku, April 9, 2002

№ 297-IIQ.

Published in «Azerbaijan» newspaper (May 12, 2002, number 107)

Published in Legislative Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (March 31, 2002, number 5, Article 231).

Changes and amendments under the Law number 331-IIIQD, May 8, 2007