The growing number of children born outside marriage in Azerbaijan is becoming a serious social issue that extends far beyond morality.
Experts say it reflects a broader decline in emotional literacy, education, and the traditional institution of the family.
Speaking to Qaynarinfo, Sevindj Fadai, chair of the public association Support for Women’s and Children’s Education, said the problem cannot be reduced to judgment or stigma.
“We should not approach this issue from a position of condemnation,” she noted.
“Behind such cases often stand emotional neglect, a lack of love and care, and distorted family models formed during childhood.”
According to Fadai, the roots of the problem lie in the erosion of communication within families and in the absence of meaningful emotional education among young people.
She emphasized that parents rarely discuss relationships, values, or responsibility with their children, while schools and youth programs fail to fill this gap.
“Silence doesn’t hide the problem-it deepens it,” she said.
Fadai believes that strengthening family values must go hand in hand with better psychological and social support for women who find themselves in vulnerable situations.
“Women who become pregnant outside marriage should not be punished or isolated,” she explained.
“They need access to counseling, education, and community support. Protecting family values means protecting women and children.”
She also pointed to the powerful role of media and culture in shaping public attitudes. Positive portrayals of family life, emotional maturity, and shared responsibility can, in her view, help rebuild trust in family institutions among younger generations.
“The solution is not in laws alone,” Fadai concluded.
“We need a deeper transformation of how we raise, educate, and understand young people. If we want to prevent such cases, we must work with the inner world of the youth-their emotions, their thinking, and their sense of self-worth.”
