There are two opposing tendencies in education. Azerbaijani culture traditionally accords high status to knowledge and education. However, the struggle for survival is leading women to concentrate more on income generating activities with a relative loss of interest in education. This may be explained by the crisis in the education system - women occupy more of the lower paid jobs. At present there is evidence of a decline in women s political activities within some political groups.
Few parties have women leaders or many women members.
Women have been assembling to protect their rights and currently there are 16 women s organizations, three with more than 2,000 members each. Some were created from women s sections of political parties, their emergence being related to the failure of women to secure a fair share of power within a political movement. Most of the existing movements are led by older women of around 40 or over. There is a clear lack of younger members. This might be explained by the fact that younger women are either too occupied by their professional career or too involved in an increasingly difficult household life.