“Our politics is obsolete... in the politics of Azerbaijan, more men are involved rather than women... I want to come to Parliament to represent displaced young people; specifically because no one is interested in them.”

Hagar Abbasli, 26, is a talented, active and hard-working young woman who wants to become an MP in Azerbaijan. She is an internally displaced person (IDP), who now lives in Sumgait. Her goal is to become the first female prime minister of Azerbaijan. But first, she wants to become a Member of Parliament. Hagar will participate in the fifth parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan which will take place in November. She says that if she is elected, she will seek to solve people’s problems. “We don’t hear official bodies because we do not have the status. If I am a deputy, I will be easily accepted everywhere. I will try to pass legislation on youth development in Parliament, and will focus on youth education abroad.”

“Another reason why I have chosen the path of politics in Azerbaijan is that in politics, there are many more men than woman. Only 19 out of 125 deputies in the National Parliament are women. Gender equality does not comply. I want to increase these figures to a women majority in politics. I want to come to Parliament to represent displaced young people. Because no one is interested in their problems. An MP’s job is not to push the button in parliament.”

Hagar is from Sumgayit, and it means that like others, every morning, she goes to Baku for work. However, Hagar wants to change this situation when she is a deputy. She promises to open more vacant working places for youth in Sumgayit. “I will try to organise that the youth that are working in Baku, won’t have need to go to the capital, but can stay and work in Sumgayit. It is difficult from both sides: physically and financially. Sumgayit is known as the city of Youth but now there is nothing for them.”