The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, recently revealed the composition of the Organizing Committee for COP29, which is set to take place in Azerbaijan later this year. However, the initial announcement, consisting of 28 members, raised concerns as it included only men. This decision prompted criticism from various groups and media outlets, labeling it regressive and questioning the lack of gender diversity in the committee.

The Guardian reported on the She Changes Climate campaign group's response, describing the exclusion of women as a regressive decision. The group emphasized that the recently held COP29 summit in the United Arab Emirates had achieved a significant representation of women, with 63 percent of the organizing committee members being female. The article quoted a statement from She Changes Climate, expressing disappointment and stating, "This is a regressive step towards gender equality in the climate."

The Women's Equality Party in Great Britain also opposed the all-male committee decision, underscoring the importance of equal participation in climate governance. Euronews echoed these sentiments, characterizing the exclusion of women from the decision-making process as a point of contention.

The report in Euronews delved into the historical under-representation of women in key climate negotiations, emphasizing that, in the 29 years of COP events, only five women have been appointed as presidents. The organizing committee for COP29 was termed a scandalous staff, and the lack of gender diversity was criticized as reprehensible.

Responding to the criticisms, President Ilham Aliyev took corrective action by issuing a new order. This order included Minister of Education Emin Amrullayev and 12 women holding various positions in the revised composition of the COP29 Organizing Committee.