HIGHLIGHTS OF RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS OF RESULTS Non-Discrimination (ND) FREE LEGAL AID BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN AZERBAIJAN3 Enhancing equality and countering discrimination Her ex-husband did not pay child maintenance and refused to give his permission for their child to be taken abroad for medical treatment. Meanwhile, her pensioner mother, who has a severe disability, was not receiving adequate benefits. Non-Discrimination in numbers Since its establishment in 1985, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples has supported the participation of over 2,000 indigenous persons in UN human rights mechanisms 35 29 fellows (19 women, 16 men) from countries participated in the annual Indigenous Fellowship Programme in Geneva 13 UN Free & Equal campaign supported national campaigns and activities in 12 countries across the world, reaching 157,000 followers via its social media platforms Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent sent 10 allegation letters and urgent appeals on behalf of over 35,000 victims 235 fellows (7 women, 6 men) from companies that have expressed publicly support for the Standards of Conduct for Business in Tackling Discrimination against LGBTI people 13 different countries awarded UN Human Rights Fellowship for people of African descent 40 fellows (17 women, 23 men) from countries participated in the annual Minorities Fellowship Programme in Geneva 36 13 national laws adopted to combat discrimination in all its forms Seeking support, E.I., a young resident of the Quba Region of Azerbaijan, turned to the Resource Centre where vulnerable citizens are provided with free legal support. To help E.I.’s mother, who has a severe disability, the lawyers managed to get her free health treatment and the benefits she is entitled to under the law. Thanks to the efforts of her lawyers, E.I. managed to make her ex-husband pay his maintenance and also had the amount increased, based on the fact that her child has hearing problems and is legally entitled to more financial support. They also managed to obtain written permission from her ex-husband to take their child abroad for treatment. their rights and the second is to promote a culture of providing free legal aid in the country. Economically disadvantaged citizens, persons with special needs and pensioners are their main clients, however, the Centre’s employees try to help everyone who comes to them. “The culture of providing free legal aid in civil cases to vulnerable groups of the population is only developing in Azerbaijan and our project aims to promote this process,” he says. “Our principle is not to let anyone leave our office empty-handed,” says Tair Aliyev, one of the Resource Centre’s lawyers and a member of the Azerbaijani Bar Association. The project, implemented by UN Human Rights, started in February 2018 and will run for three years in cooperation with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Ombudsperson). The representative of UN Human Rights in the South Caucasus notes that the project has two goals. The first is to help vulnerable groups of Azerbaijani society to assert Facebook page of the Resource Centre: “The support I received at the Resource Centre exceeded all my expectations. I was hoping that they would help me get the maintenance I was supposed to get but the fact that they managed to increase the amount was a pleasant surprise! Life in a rural area is not easy and every penny counts,” says E.I. The Resource Centre, located in Baku, helps Azerbaijani citizens to solve their socio-economic issues free of charge within the framework of a project on “Enhancing the capacity of national actors in promoting and effectively protecting human rights.” In addition, the Centre organizes The EU-supported Resource Centre is located in Baku, but it receives requests from around the country. © EU Neighbours portal 3 34 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 consultations in the country’s regions in coordination with the local offices of the Ombudsperson and the Bar Association. Published on the EU Neighbours portal: https://www.euneighbours.eu/en/east/eu-in-action/stories/free-legal-aid-being-made-available-those-who-are-less-fortunate UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 35