Recently, the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been receiving numerous written and verbal inquiries regarding the payment of the unified monthly allowance.
In particular, individuals whose one parent does not hold the status of an internally displaced person (IDP) frequently ask why they are not eligible for the unified monthly allowance.
It should first be noted that the unified monthly allowance is an individual state support mechanism intended for persons who, as a result of the occupation, were deprived of their native lands, immovable property, and customary living conditions. The assignment of this allowance is currently regulated by a separate legal act—the Rules on the Payment of the Unified Monthly Allowance in Lieu of Food Allowance and State Budget Payments for Utility and Other Services for Internally Displaced Persons and Persons Equated to Them, approved by Resolution No. 11 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 24 January 2017.
We would also like to reiterate that the unified monthly allowance is not granted to all persons holding IDP status (IDP certificate). The categories of IDPs who are not entitled to receive the allowance are defined in Section 2 of the above-mentioned Rules. Pursuant to Clause 2.6 of the Rules, the unified monthly allowance is not granted to persons whose one parent does not have IDP status.
From the perspective of legal reasoning and the principles of social justice, when one of the parents in a family does not have IDP status, that family is not considered to have been entirely deprived of housing, property, land resources, and normal living conditions. Since the parent who is not an IDP may have access to immovable property, housing, ownership rights, and other socio-economic resources, such families are distinguished from those facing the full humanitarian consequences of displacement. Directing budget-funded social support to families where both parents hold IDP status and who rely entirely on state support reflects the principles of social justice and targeted social assistance.
It should also be noted that, for many years, the databases of the Civil Status Registration System (ƏHALİ) of the Ministry of Justice, the State Social Protection Fund, and the State Committee were not fully integrated electronically. As a result, cases falling under Clause 2.6 of the Rules could occasionally remain undetected during selective or manual verification procedures. With the recent cross-integration of state information systems through the e-government platform, unjustified payments are now identified automatically and discontinued.
In accordance with the principles of protecting state budget resources, monitoring is carried out to ensure that public funds are allocated strictly in line with their intended purpose. Therefore, under the legislation, state-funded payments cannot be provided to persons who do not meet the established eligibility criteria, including those who have acquired residential property (a house or apartment), obtained a taxpayer identification number (TIN) and engaged in entrepreneurial activity, changed their status through marriage registration, or spent more than 182 days abroad within a calendar year.
The State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan fully recognizes the sensitive nature of social benefit issues for citizens. At the same time, state authorities operate strictly within the powers granted by legislation and ensure the mandatory application of the current legal framework when determining eligibility for all social payments financed from the state budget.
The State Committee will continue to carry out its activities in full compliance with the legislation, ensure the implementation of the state policy on the social protection of internally displaced persons, and continue taking consistent measures to provide the public with accurate and comprehensive information.
