The Director of the Presidential Library, Professor Afet Abbasova, participated in the international conference titled “Amplifying women’s voices across CICA for Sustainable Growth” held in Baku on April 14, 2026, within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

As part of the event, a side session on “Development of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Improvement of Legislation” was organized, along with panel discussions on “Women’s Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses: Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization” and “Women’s Leadership in Environmental Protection and Strengthening Sustainability”. Professor Afet Abbasova took part in these discussions, which focused on enhancing women’s economic participation, promoting innovative approaches, and strengthening their role in sustainable development processes.

The conference, organized under the chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in CICA, served as an important platform for expanding women’s participation in sustainable development processes and reinforcing their role in socio-economic life. It also provided opportunities to deepen cooperation among member states and broaden the exchange of best practices.

During the conference, high-level representatives of CICA member states and academic communities discussed women’s contributions to sustainable development goals, increasing their participation opportunities in the context of digitalization, promoting innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship, and their role in environmental protection and combating climate change.

In addition, the sharing of best practices and national and regional initiatives aimed at empowering women were also brought into focus. As a continuation of the conference, the first meeting of the CICA Women’s Council was held, where participants exchanged views on enhancing coordination and dialogue among member states, identifying future directions of activity, and developing joint initiatives, with the intention of preparing relevant recommendations.

Overall, the international conference contributed to strengthening the role of women in the sustainable development agenda, expanding their participation in economic and social processes, and reinforcing international cooperation in this field.