The Azerbaijani Central Election Commission (CEC) is not satisfied with the percentage of women represented in election bodies. "In Azerbaijan the reality is that women's status in their lives contradicts their status in state agencies and election bodies. Azerbaijani women participate in every aspect of life almost as actively as European women," CEC Chairman, Mazahir Panahov, told journalists on Sept. 7.

Azerbaijan will hold municipal elections in mid-December. There is only 2 percent of women among the municipality chairmen. Panahov said the reason for low representation of women in the election bodies is connected only to themselves. "It would be unjust to say that there are obstacles for women representing themselves in the election bodies. I urge women to widely represent themselves in the municipal elections and to actively participate in the elections," the CEC chairman said.