On 12 July, a round-table discussion “Perspectives for Strengthening the Mechanisms for Women’s Rights in Armenia” was held in the framework of the EU-funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project.
Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO, CCD Project Manager delivered a welcoming speech at the event. “We need to raise the issue of protection of women’s rights not only in the spheres of health, domestic violence, discrimination, political participation, but also find mechanisms that can be effectively implemented in the future for the protection of women’s rights,” he said.
“After the Velvet Revolution women’s rights and the status of women in the society are in the center of attention of the authorities,” Ms Anush Begloyan, member of the “My Step” faction of the National Assembly said. “Today, in the context of cooperation with the civil society organizations, the government first of all considers the increase of the number of women within the government and the strengthening of women in the Armenian society. In many European countries women and, in general, a number of human rights protection issues are almost entirely provided to the non-governmental organizations, and this is not just the initiative of NGOs, but governments are delegating these functions to the non-governmental organizations,” she said the.
Ms Olga Azatyan, Advisor to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, highlighted the event and the work with civil society organizations. “The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has elaborated the Gender Strategy of the Republic of Armenia and we have 5 main priorities: 1. Improvement of the national mechanism for the promotion of women, equal participation of women and men in management and decision making; 2. overcoming gender discrimination in the economic sphere and expanding women’s economic opportunities, 3. full and effective participation of women and men in the field of education and science; 4. expansion of equal opportunities for women and men in the field of health care; 5. prevention of gender discrimination,” Olga Azatyan said.
Ms Christine Hovhannisyan, Head of the Gender Programs of “Oxygen” Foundation for Protection of Youth and Women Rights, and Lawyer Ms Mariam Zadoyan, talked about the issues of women’s rights protection at the workplace, referring to the labour guarantees of pregnant women.
Lawyers Ms Nona Galstyan and Ms Nvard Piliposyan presented the issues of women’s rights protection in the family, about the issues of marriage, divorce and domestic violence.
Mr. Gevorg Grigoryan, Public Health Expert and Mr. Hovhannes Madoyan, lawyer touched upon the issues of women’s rights protection in the field of healthcare, particularly referring to the problem of selective abortion.
Mr. Narek Yenokyan, Expert of the “Commitment Constructive Dialogue” Project and Mr. Artyom Mesropyan, Justice and Related Sectors Coordinator of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project, spoke about the issues of women’s rights protection in the field of political participation..
The participants of the discussion asked their questions to the experts.
At the end of the event Mr. Karen Zadoyan mentioned that the opinions and observations voiced at the event will be summed up and submitted to the relevant bodies in the form of proposals to include them in the gender strategy of the Republic of Armenia.
