Facts and Figures

IOM Member since 2001 Capital: Baku Population (2011): 9.3 million Area: 86,600 sq km Major Language: Azeri, Russian Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN) GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 9,943 HDI Rank (2011): 91 of 187 Remittances (2011 estimate): USD 1,823 million Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -1.1 migrants / 1,000 population Immigrants (2010): 3.0% Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 57.1% Population under 15 (2011): 21.1% Adult HIV Prevalence (2009): 0.1%
Sources and Definitions More Facts and Figures Major Ethnic Groups: Azerbaijanis, Lezgins, Russians, Armenians, Talysh, Avars, Turks, Tartars

Latest News

• IOM's Rehabilitated Ancient Water Supply System Helps Thousands of Families in Nakhchivan Access Water
• Renovation of Azerbaijan's Ancient Underground Waterways Receives New Backing
• Using Old Techniques to Help Manage Scarce Water Resources in Arid Regions

The major migration challenges for Azerbaijan are high migration flows from rural regions to cities and abroad in search of employment opportunities; escalating labour migration flows to Azerbaijan; transit migration through Azerbaijan originating from Central Asia and the Middle East; the return and integration of internally displaced ethnic Azerbaijanis from Nagorno-Karabakh; development and alignment of national migration policies and practices, including border management, to international standards in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy; capacity building for government officials dealing with migration management; and combating trafficking in persons.

Movement, Emergency and Post-crisis Migration Management

Pre-departure Support for Resettlement Programmes. Upon the request of receiving governments, IOM provides pre-departure support including counselling, cultural orientation and medical examinations and departure assistance to migrants endorsed to the United States and Canada through the resettlement programmes of the respective countries.

Main Projects

• United States Refugee Programme
• Canadian Warrants Programme

Movement Assistance. On an ad-hoc basis, IOM provides counselling, document processing, medical examination, cultural orientation and airport transfer assistance to migrants accepted for resettlement in Europe as well as in New Zealand upon the request of the receiving countries' governments to ensure the process runs smoothly

Main Project

• Resettlement to Europe and elsewhere

Migration and Development

Economic and Environmental Development. IOM is implementing a project which aims to increase communities’ access to water for consumption and agriculture, through the renovation of 20 kahrizes in rural areas of Azerbaijan; build the capacity of communities to manage water resources through the establishment of and engagement in Water User Committees and to enhance the skills and knowledge of selected kankans (traditional water engineers); increase the irrigation water supply to rural communities through rehabilitation and/or cleaning of existing water channels. Three thousand households in rural communities (Barda, Goranboy, Goygol, Samukh, Shemkir, Terter, Tovuz) will directly benefit from the renovation of 20 kahrizes and restoration and/or cleaning of 200 km irrigation channels.

Main Project

• Kahriz Rehabilitation project

Socio-economic Reintegration for Mine Victims. IOM is implementing a project which aims to improve the livelihood and economic situation of mine survivors by providing them financial and non-financial services (e.g., targeted trainings). The project is implemented in Barda, Terter, Goranboy, Imishli, Beylagan, Bilasuvar, Saatli, Sabirabad and other possible districts of Azerbaijan..

Main Project

• Socio-Economic Reintegration Programme for Mine Victims in Azerbaijan

Regulating Migration

Consolidating Awareness-Raising on Trafficking in Persons through Education. After conclusion of the implementation of the first phase of the project “Secondary School Education in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to Contribute to the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons”, IOM is implementing a so-called bridging phase project to be followed with a possible second phase. IOM continues undertaking trafficking awareness-raising activities along the same lines as followed during the first project phase, specifically in terms of enhancing the teacher training component and continue reaching out to disadvantaged children and families. The follow-up of already implemented activities primarily consists of three types of actions:

• Additional training for teachers on the delivery of lessons on trafficking prevention and the monitoring and evaluation of this training for teachers;
• Continued outreach by means of focus group meetings and peer-to peer activities;
• Meetings and workshops with all project stakeholders, including ministry officials, counter-trafficking policy decision-makers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) teachers as well as students will be held to determine how the project sustainability can be guaranteed and the trafficking module firmly included in the national education curricula.

Main Project

• Consolidating Awareness-Raising on Trafficking in Persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia through Secondary School Education

Strengthening Human Resources Capacity of Nakhchivan State Border Service Regiment. IOM is implementing a project which aims to strengthen the training and human resource development system of the Nakhchivan State Border Service by equipping a Nakhchivan Border Guards Training Centre (NBGTC), as well as a centralized forensic document examination centre, in order to enhance the capability of the border service in identifying forged documents and potential irregular migrants. Specific objectives are:

• Bring Nakhchivan Border Guards Training Centre to full operational capability;
• Establish a centralized document examination room;
• Provide trainings to the Nakhchivan State Border Service Regiment posted border guards charged with the border control and protection.

Main Project

• Support to Strengthening Human Resources Capacity of Nakhchivan State Border Service Regiment

Strengthening Cooperation through Capacity Building and Technical Assistance. IOM aims to support the development of effective counter-trafficking responses of the civil society and the government partners to improve prevention, identification, referral and social protection measures for victims of trafficking in Azerbaijan. The project plans to:

• Enhance the level of identification and referral mechanism of the victims and potential victims to safety and care;
• Promote dialogue that aims to enhance knowledge and skills enabling all NGOs to cooperate with each other and to deal effectively with the problem of trafficking in persons;
• Inform the population on the risks of irregular migration and dangers of trafficking;
• Strengthen cooperation among government agencies, and between them and the civil society through capacity building and technical assistance.

Main Project

• Enhancing Measures and Cooperation to Effectively Combat Trafficking in Persons through Capacity Building and Technical Assistance – Phase II

Development of a Comprehensive Anti-trafficking Response. The project seeks to reduce trafficking in persons by building the capacity of the government and providing protection and assistance to actual and potential victims. Its specific objectives are:

• Assist the government in implementing the National Action Plan on Counter-trafficking for 2009–2013 through the development of an adequate support structure;
• Support the prevention of trafficking in human beings and irregular migration through labour market interventions and addressing potential migrants;
• Assist the government to detect, investigate and prosecute criminal activities pertinent to trafficking in human beings;
• Improve identification, referral, protection and assistance including the reintegration of victims.

The regional project is implemented jointly with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

Main Project

• Strengthening of Comprehensive Anti-trafficking Responses in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

Post Arrival Assistance to Azerbaijani Returnees from the Netherlands. The Project aims to facilitate the sustainable reintegration of up to 40 Azerbaijani nationals who will return to Azerbaijan either voluntarily with IOM assistance or involuntarily under the auspices of the Government of the Netherlands.

The post-arrival reintegration assistance will include provision of counselling, temporary accommodation, referral to vocational and educational training courses, job referral services, support in developing/starting business and other forms of self-employment, or job referrals that will encourage migrants to return and facilitate their reintegration in their communities. The Project builds on the existing IOM reintegration structures and experience in place in the Netherlands and in Azerbaijan.

Main Project

• Post Arrival Assistance to Azerbaijani Returnees from the Netherlands

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration. Within the framework of the movement assistance component, IOM continues to assist migrants returning to Azerbaijan from Western Europe. IOM also helps in the returnees' reintegration by counselling, arranging vocational trainings, assessing their needs and guiding them on setting up small businesses.

Main Project

• Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration

Return and Reintegration Assistance for Victims of Trafficking. IOM provides assistance to the victims of trafficking returning to, through and from Azerbaijan upon request of IOM sending missions or governments, NGOs and other partners. Assistance packages include protection, return and reception/referral upon arrival, arranging secure accommodation and reintegration into society.

Main Project

• Return, Reception and Reintegration Assistance for Victims of Trafficking

Last updated:
Main text: November 2011
Facts and figures: April 2012