The recent recognition by the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of Azerbaijan’s efforts to boost women’s employment opportunities signals a noteworthy advance toward gender equality and economic inclusivity in the country. For years, legal and cultural barriers limited women’s participation in certain professions, restricting their full potential in the labor market. Now, through decisive legislative reforms that lifted restrictions on women working in roles such as railway engineers and bus drivers, Azerbaijan has set a compelling example of how policy change can unlock new opportunities for women and accelerate national development.

Historically, many countries have maintained laws or regulations that restrict women’s access to specific occupations, often justified by outdated stereotypes about physical ability, safety concerns, or social norms. In Azerbaijan, such restrictions meant that women were largely absent from critical sectors like transport and engineering. The World Bank and the IMF highlighted that recent legal amendments now enable women to enter these previously closed professions, which is a concrete step towards dismantling systemic gender inequality in the labor market.

This move is significant not only from a social justice perspective but also economically. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report consistently demonstrates that narrowing gender gaps in employment can boost productivity, innovation, and economic growth. In fact, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that closing gender gaps in labor........

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