Trade unions in Azerbaijan strengthen understanding of ILO supervisory mechanisms
Trade union representatives examined how ILO supervisory procedures can support workers’ rights and social dialogue in Azerbaijan at a joint AHIK-ILO/ACTRAV seminar.
14 May 2026
BAKU (ILO News) – On 14 May 2026, a seminar jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation (AHIK) and the Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) was held in Baku under the theme “ILO standard-setting and trade unions’ effective use of the supervisory mechanism.”
The event brought together representatives of AHIK member organizations, trade union activists and specialists to strengthen their understanding of international labour standards and to explore how trade unions can strategically use the ILO supervisory system to promote compliance with ratified Conventions and advance the protection of workers’ rights and interests at the national level.
Opening the seminar, Ayaz Aliyev, Chief of Staff of AHIK, emphasized the importance of cooperation with the ILO and highlighted the significance of strengthening trade union knowledge and engagement with international labour standards and supervisory procedures.
Gocha Aleksandria, Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities at the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, delivered detailed presentations on the ILO’s mandate, governance structure, standard-setting system and supervisory machinery. Sessions focused on the functioning of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR), the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS), and other supervisory procedures available to workers’ organizations under the ILO Constitution.
A central theme of the seminar was the strategic and practical role of trade unions in using ILO supervisory mechanisms as an advocacy instrument. Participants discussed how workers’ organizations can prepare and submit observations to supervisory bodies, contribute to international discussions on labour rights issues and use comments and conclusions adopted by the ILO supervisory bodies to support national-level social dialogue, collective bargaining and labour law reforms.
Particular attention was devoted to the experiences of trade union federations from other countries and to practices developed within the international trade union movement in engaging with the ILO supervisory system. Participants reviewed examples of how national trade union centres and global union organizations have effectively used supervisory procedures to address violations related to freedom of association, collective bargaining, occupational safety and health, discrimination, child labour and other fundamental rights at work.
The discussions highlighted how coordinated action between national trade union centres and international trade union organizations can strengthen workers’ advocacy efforts, increase international attention to labour rights concerns and support constructive engagement with governments through the ILO system. Participants also exchanged views on how such experiences could be further adapted and applied in the Azerbaijani context.
The seminar additionally included a practical session on the use of the ILO’s NORMLEX portal, during which participants received hands-on guidance on accessing country-specific information related to ratified Conventions, comments of supervisory bodies, reporting obligations and international labour standards developments.
The event concluded with an interactive discussion on strengthening AHIK’s future engagement with ILO supervisory procedures and expanding the role of trade unions in promoting effective implementation of international labour standards in Azerbaijan.