Azerbaijan explores practical approaches to pay equity

BAKU (ILO News) – On 17 June 2026, representatives of the Government of Azerbaijan, employers’ and workers’ organizations, labour inspectors, private sector representatives and ILO experts participated in an online technical workshop on promoting equal pay for work of equal value in Azerbaijan, a fundamental labour right enshrined in the ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100).

© ILO

© ILO

The workshop provided a platform to discuss global and national developments in addressing pay inequalities, as well as the ILO’s practical tools and international experience in supporting the implementation of pay equity measures and reducing the gender pay gap.

In his opening remarks, Fuad Heydarov, Head of the Labour Policy Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, emphasized the country’s ongoing efforts to promote gender equality in the workplace, including recent legislative reforms aimed at ensuring equal pay for equal work, expanding women’s access to job opportunities, protecting the rights of workers with family responsibilities and encouraging equal treatment and non-discrimination at work. Heydarov stressed the importance of social dialogue and continued cooperation among government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as with the ILO, in advancing decent work and more inclusive labour markets in Azerbaijan.

Emanuela Pozzan, ILO Senior Specialist on Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination, emphasized the ILO’s strong commitment to promoting gender equality and decent work for all. She noted that gender pay gaps are driven by multiple, interconnected factors, including occupational segregation, the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities and limited access to career progression opportunities. Achieving pay equity, Pozzan said, requires a comprehensive approach combining effective legislation, reliable data, gender-neutral job evaluation systems, strong enforcement mechanisms and active social dialogue.

The discussions also highlighted the relevance of the recently adopted Resolution concerning the ILO transformative agenda for gender equality in the world of work (2026). The Resolution reaffirms that gender equality is both a fundamental right and a prerequisite for inclusive and sustainable development. It also identifies equal remuneration for work of equal value as a vital part of efforts to advance gender equality and calls for stronger policies, institutions, social dialogue and practical tools to address the root causes of gender pay inequalities.

Rosalia Vazquez-Alvarez, ILO Senior Economist, emphasized that addressing wage inequalities requires looking beyond equal pay for identical or similar work. Introducing the ILO’s newly developed Automated Gender-Neutral Job Evaluation Tool, Vazquez-Alvarez explained that jobs should be assessed using objective criteria such as skills, responsibilities, effort and working conditions, rather than traditional perceptions of the value of occupations and gender considerations. Designed to help employers and institutions identify potential gender bias in remuneration systems, the tool supports evidence-based decision-making. Participants explored how such tools could contribute to greater pay transparency and provide a common basis for dialogue between employers and workers.

The workshop highlighted Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to promote pay equity and international labour standards, including Convention No. 100 and the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), as well as ongoing legislative reforms and participation in the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC). Participants reaffirmed that sustained cooperation among government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organizations is essential to translating international and national commitments into practical measures that reduce pay inequalities and promote gender equality in the world of work.