President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attend opening of Nakhchivan Regional DOST Center
On August 11, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening of the Nakhchivan Regional DOST Center of the DOST Agency under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population.
AZERTAC reports that Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population Anar Aliyev briefed the President and the First Lady on the facilities created at the center.
It was noted that 164 types of social services will be provided to the population at the center. The center will have 117 employees and 50 volunteers, and is expected to receive an average of 500–600 citizens daily.
All services have been organized based on the “One-Stop Shop” principle and will be provided to the residents of Nakhchivan in a convenient, prompt and accessible manner. This approach enables various social services — including pensions, labour and employment, social benefits, disability, adoption and other social services — to be provided in a single location and in a transparent manner.
Medical and social assessment of persons with disabilities will also be carried out at the center. They will be provided with rehabilitation aids based on their individual needs, while referrals to specialized rehabilitation institutions for access to rehabilitation services will also be processed.
The President and the First Lady also viewed prostheses manufactured by leading international companies. These prostheses enable users to move naturally, independently and safely, adapt to different surfaces and speeds, and integrate more rapidly into social and professional life. To date, 620 high-tech prostheses have been provided to more than 500 military personnel. In addition, nearly 300 persons with war-related disabilities have recovered their health through high-tech rehabilitation and medical and social services.
Work to provide persons with war-related disabilities with high-tech prostheses was launched at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, known for its noble activities.
As a result of the state’s social protection policy aimed at strengthening the provision of rehabilitation aids to persons with disabilities, the number of types of rehabilitation aids has increased from 57 to 130. Since the beginning of this year, persons with disabilities have been provided with nearly 300,000 rehabilitation aids of various types.
The President and the First Lady also viewed an exhibition of handicrafts created by beneficiaries of the Ministry’s inclusive centers, including wood carving, carpet weaving, pottery, visual arts, stained glass, floristry and other forms of art. The online sale of these handicrafts is carried out through the “dostart.az” portal, established to help reveal the creative potential and support the economic activity of persons from vulnerable groups. This initiative makes an important contribution to their integration into the labour market.
The project for the Nakhchivan DOST Inclusive Development and Creativity Center, which is planned to be established on the basis of the Nakhchivan Regional Information Center, was also presented to President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva.
It was noted that the social skills development services currently provided to persons with disabilities in 13 areas are planned to be expanded to 20 areas at the new center.
The social reforms implemented in Azerbaijan in recent years have received high international recognition and have been awarded more than 300 awards and certificates by various international organizations. Among them is the United Nations Public Service Award for the initiative “Inclusive and Equal Social Protection Services for All.”
The DOST centers established at the initiative of First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have led to the formation of a qualitatively new stage in the provision of social services. To date, 164 types of services have been provided to citizens at these centers, with a total of 4.6 million social services delivered. The level of satisfaction with the services has been approximately 99 percent.
Work to expand the DOST network across the country is currently ongoing. In 2026–2027, DOST reception offices are planned to be established in all district centers of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. By 2030, an extensive service network comprising 18 DOST centers, as well as 60 offices and service points, is planned to be established across the country.
