Azerbaijan told the United Nations on Oct. 6 that the fate of 71 children among more than 4,000 people missing since the early 1990s remains unknown, describing the issue as an urgent post-conflict humanitarian concern.
Shahriyar Hajiyev, first secretary of Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the statement during the Third Committee of the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly. The committee was discussing the promotion and protection of children’s rights.
Hajiyev said the unresolved cases and the continuing danger from land mines require stronger international cooperation alongside Azerbaijan’s national efforts.
Mine Contamination and Education
According to the official text of the Azerbaijani statement, land mines have killed or seriously injured more than 3,400 people since the 1990s, including children and young people.
The diplomat also said nearly 4,000 pupils are attending schools during the 2026–2027 academic year in areas where families displaced by the conflict have returned under the country’s Great Return program.
Child Protection Measures
Children account for nearly 30% of Azerbaijan’s population, Hajiyev said. He pointed to the National Strategy on Children for 2020–2030 and a new 2026 law on children’s rights, saying the legislation strengthens protection mechanisms and brings the national framework closer to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The statement said Azerbaijan remains committed to access to health care, education and a safe environment for children from birth through adolescence.
Source: Vesti Baku; Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations.