THE ROLE OF ECONOMİC REFORMS AND THE LABOR MARKET İN AZERBAİJAN İN THE PERİOD 2014–2023

Abstract

This article systematically examines the complex impact of twelve key economic reforms implemented in the Republic of Azerbaijan between 2014 and 2023 on the labour market. The reforms are classified into three functional groups: legal and institutional framework, active employment programmes, and social protection mechanisms. A differential analysis is conducted for each group with respect to unemployment dynamics, wage levels, the number of hired workers, and the scale of informal employment. The findings reveal that the unemployment rate fell from 7.24% in 2020 to 5.30% in 2024, while the average monthly nominal wage rose from 732,1 manats in 2021 to 1009,4 manats in 2024, representing an increase of 37.9%. The establishment of the DOST Agency ensured the integration of social services, and the unemployment insurance system significantly strengthened worker protection. The main shortcomings identified include the slow elimination of informal employment, the incomplete alignment of the vocational education system with labour market demands, and persistent regional disparities. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that 12 reform documents are, for the first time, unified within a single analytical framework, and their impact on labour market indicators is assessed across three independent criteria: statistical dynamics, institutional change, and international comparison.