Azerbaijan: Closure of Barda office marks the end of over 25 years of impact

Here, a medical team is pictured preparing for surgery in the surgical block of a hospital train in Aghdam. With hands meticulously washed and surgical scrubs on, the team provided critical care to the sick and wounded through the challenges of war-torn landscapes. The ICRC distributed medical supplies such as antibiotics, anesthetics, analgesics, and surgical and general medical materials to the hospitals receiving war casualties.

In this photo taken in 1994 in Barda, the ICRC team is checking medical supplies we donated to health care structures in Azerbaijan. Over the course of three months in 1994 alone, the ICRC distributed approximately 22 tons of crucial medicines and medical supplies, underscoring our unwavering commitment to supporting hospitals that received war casualties.

In the ensuing years, our dedication to helping affected communities remained the same while our activities evolved. A photo from 1997 shows an ICRC agronomist monitoring an agricultural rehabilitation program. This program aimed to help families who had been displaced from their homes to rebuild their livelihoods by providing them with the necessary resources and support. It not only provided immediate aid but also fostered a long-term source of income for families affected by the conflict.

In this picture from 1997, our team was conducting a comprehensive mine danger awareness session in a camp for internally displaced persons during a food parcel distribution, primarily focusing on the safety of children. Such sessions aimed to decrease the risk of incidents related to the dangers of mines and explosive remnants of war.

This empowering work took place in the pasture in a village in the Dashkasan district as a part of joint efforts together with the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society (AzRCS) to raise awareness on the dangers of mines and explosive remnants of war. Since 2016, more than 40,000 individuals benefitted from risk and safer behavior sessions conducted in collaboration with the AzRCS.

In a poignant moment captured in 2006, an ICRC employee is seen meeting with the family of a missing person to collect detailed antemortem data which includes information like height, hair color, or other identifying features.

In 2009, families whose loved ones went missing in the 1990s in relation to the conflict gathered at our office in Barda, Azerbaijan, for an event commemorating the International Day of Disappeared. Families without any news of their close relatives attended seeking solace and support.

The ICRC supported residents in redesigning houses and constructing protective walls to create a safer environment for those living in areas exposed to shootings. Dozens of households in three districts benefitted from the project.

This photo depicts a microeconomic initiative project who purchased eight sheep with the ICRC’s financial support in Tovuz, a village bordering with Armenia. The initiative strengthened economic resilience and self-sufficiency, offering families the means to build a more stable income generation sources.
In 2015, 5,200 people residing in impacted communities of Azerbaijan benefitted from projects aimed at improving their economic situation.

Our efforts extended to educational support as well. In 2021, Gilles Carbonnier, ICRC vice-president, visited a school in Aghdam district, Azerbaijan, that was rehabilitated by the ICRC following the hostilities in the autumn of 2020. Since 2021, more than 35,000 individuals, benefitted from our Access to Education programme. Additionally, 25 schools and six kindergartens in affected communities were rehabilitated during 2021-2023.

Amidst the joyous laughter and playful splashes in Gadabay’s Goyamli village, Azerbaijan, a woman and a young boy revel in the waters flowing from the village's newly enhanced water system. This moment exemplifies the transformative impact of our Water an Habitat programme, where the hard work of village residents, guided by our engineers' technical expertise, revitalized the water supply system. More than 50,000 people benefitted from the water and habitat-related projects during 2007-2022.

In 2022, in coordination with Azerbaijani health authorities and the AzRCS, we rehabilitated eight primary health-care centers in Aghdam and Terter districts to support the health care access in affected communities. This project was a testament to our continued commitment to public health and safety amidst global challenges.