The paper gives a historical review of attitudes towards women in Azerbaijan since the beginning of the 20^th century and describes some factors that influenced this attitude.

The author reveals that:

• number of women in legislative and executive bodies is very low
• women always, as a rule, occupy positions of deputy heads of executive bodies on humanitarian or social issues
• women constitute half of members of the parties, although being only one third in their management
• there are about 50 women's organizations in the country
• share of women in economy reflects a steady growth trend
• 86% of women do not wish to be engaged in private business

In author’s opinion, currently the social image of women is changing. The present women at political and economic arena have to copy men's behavior. Gender situation in the region is extremely destabilized, women start to play against their will new social roles, quickly filling empty niches. The society watches the transformation of social and cultural models of behavior, which gradually make the woman the main breadwinner.

The author’s conclusion is that female qualities are essential both in politics and economy in a century of information technologies requiring intuition, attentiveness, thoroughness in work.