“The existence of tolerance towards different ethnic and religious minorities in Azerbaijan is the best example to other countries. In Baku, you feel like you are in Europe,” former member of European Parliament Patricia Lalonde has told AZERTAC’s special correspondent.

“Azerbaijan has made great strides in recent years. It is impossible to conceal the reality. In the Muslim-majority country of Azerbaijan, which is a secular state, women were granted the right to vote 100 years ago in 1918,” Lalonde said.

"I have already visited Azerbaijan and witnessed the active involvement of women in all areas here. Most of the more than one million refugees and internally displaced persons caused by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are women. The Azerbaijani government pays special attention to women, particularly to women refugees. Special programs on women's issues have been implemented and are currently underway in the country. I think that the work done in Azerbaijan on women's issues should be the best example to other countries,” she added.