Women’s Rights in Azerbaijan: Education, Freedom, and the 1918 Breakthrough

The history of women’s freedom in Azerbaijan is a story of early reforms, bold enlighteners, and a society that, at the beginning of the 20th century, made a leap decades ahead of neighboring regions. Today, Azerbaijan is often regarded as one of the most progressive countries in the Muslim East in terms of women’s rights, and this status was preceded by a long path—from the first schools for girls to the granting of voting rights to women in 1918.

The first changes began in the 19th century, when private educational institutions founded by intellectuals and philanthropists started appearing in major cities, especially in Baku. One of the most important steps was the initiative of Hasan bey Zardabi — the founder of the first Azerbaijani newspaper Ekinchi and an active advocate for women’s education. Thanks to the efforts of progressive educators, the first secular schools for girls were opened, breaking old stereotypes that confined women solely to domestic life. These schools became a true social revolution: young girls gained access to literacy, literature, history, sciences, and other subjects previously inaccessible to most women.

The oil bourgeoisie of Baku also made a significant contribution. Wealthy merchant families, such as the Taghiyevs, actively financed educational and social projects. The most striking example was the opening of the first secular Muslim girls’ school in 1901. This became a turning point that made education for women not an exception but a new norm. For the first time, girls from Muslim families could receive systematic knowledge, and many graduates later became teachers, translators, and public figures.

By the early 20th century, the idea of women’s education had become part of a broader cultural rise. Newspapers, journals, and theatrical productions addressed the topic of equality and the woman’s role in society. During this period, influential figures such as Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, and Uzeyir Hajibeyli worked actively, emphasizing the importance of education and social freedom for women through their literature and public work.

The culmination of this movement came in 1918 — the year of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic republic of the East. It was then that Azerbaijani women received the right to vote on equal terms with men — two years earlier than women in France and nearly half a century earlier than in some other countries of the region. This decision became a historic breakthrough: despite the complex political environment, the young republic adopted one of the most progressive laws of its time. The reform became possible thanks to several factors — the political will of new reformers, the influence of Western-educated intellectuals, and gradual societal changes brought by the modernization of Baku and the development of secular culture.

After 1918, women took an increasingly active role in public life: they became doctors, teachers, actresses, and journalists. Higher education also became accessible. Baku State University and the Baku Conservatory accepted women from their early years, and by the mid-20th century, the number of female specialists grew rapidly in fields ranging from medicine to engineering.

Today, Azerbaijan continues this tradition. Women actively participate in business, scientific research, public administration, culture, and tourism. A thousand-year cultural foundation that combines respect for family and a pursuit of education fits harmoniously into the country’s modern identity.

The history of women’s freedom in Azerbaijan is a story of steps taken boldly, progressively, and decisively. It is a path from the first schools to state reforms, from private initiatives to national policies of equality. And it is this blend of tradition, culture, and modernity that makes the development of women’s rights in Azerbaijan a unique phenomenon in the region.