Calls to the “Women Helpline Service” surge 2.5-fold in one year

Nearly 4,000 women received support through Azercell-initiated Helpline in 2025

The number of calls to the “Women Helpline Service” increased significantly over the past year. Rising from 1,623 in 2024 to nearly 4,000 in 2025, this 2.5-fold growth reflects the growing confidence women place in the available support resources.

The service, operated with the support of Azercell, is designed to strengthen women’s safety, safeguard their rights, and enhance social well-being. According to statistics, over the course of 2025, women primarily sought psychological support, legal guidance, and assistance in situations of violence. Thus, 1,105 calls were related to psychological counseling, while 655 involved cases of violence. The majority of these calls concerned domestic violence, though 101 cases of cyber violence were also reported, highlighting a concerning rise in online abuse. 

Legal support was requested in 583 cases, while 336 calls addressed family law issues, including separation and divorce. Other areas of concern included social and financial well-being, cited in 267 calls, requests for temporary shelter, reported in 257 cases, and education-related matters, raised in 207 calls. In addition, 77 calls involved situations of exploitation and vulnerable circumstances, including leaving abusive households, forced labor, early marriage, or other forms of coercion, while 47 calls focused on access to healthcare rights.

Analysis of the calls shows that women face multiple forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as other forms of mistreatment. Most women experienced several forms of abuse concurrently. Notably, 32 calls involved suicidal ideation, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive, multi-dimensional support services for women.

To expand the social support ecosystem, Azercell, in partnership with the “Ümidli Gələcək” Public Association, launched the large-scale initiative “Offline Women” in 2025. Introduced on 25 November during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the UN’s “Orange Day” campaign, the project aims to raise public awareness of violence against women and provide accessible, safe resources for women in challenging circumstances.

As part of the initiative, the oflaynqadinlar.az platform was launched, offering reliable, structured guidance on legal, psychological, social, and economic support in accordance with Azerbaijani legislation. The platform allows women to access information about their rights, explore initial support options through video tutorials, take psychological self-assessment tests, and connect with organizations ready to assist.

Also, within the 2025 initiatives, the Spanish-language guide for the “Women Helpline Service” was presented with the support of the Embassy of Mexico in Azerbaijan.

The “Women Helpline Service” was launched in 2022 at the initiative of Azercell and is managed by the “Ümidli Gələcək” Social Initiatives Public Association, with the support of Azercell and the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since its inception, the helpline has received more than 12,000 calls between 2022 and 2025, reflecting its growing role as a vital support resource for women.