Today, women hold various positions, do various kinds of work, drive cars, and it seems normal. Why should we talk about it? We have to talk because, above all that has not always been ‘normal’ and natural, even now, in the 21st century, in 2020 women are again facing discrimination.
We can see vivid examples of discrimination against women in the Soviet era in Armenian movies, for example, in “Big Win” movie, where Garnik’s (Mher Mkrtchyan) wife, Ashkhen (Lyudmila Hovhannisyan) tries to drive the won car, all the men criticize her, saying: ” Ashkhen, you have to be ashamed for driving the car back and forth”.
And although a lot of time has passed, nowadays we still have that problem, and many women do not even know about their rights, because they have always only heard about their responsibilities.
Here we need to talk about the legal regulations that every woman should know about.
In 1993, the Republic of Armenia ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Convention was a step towards women exclusion of any form of discrimination, men or women under national law Obligations to enshrine and guarantee the principle of equality.
Armenia has also ratified such an essential role in the field of women’s rights protection.
There are many international instruments, such as the UN Convention on the Political Rights of Women and the Council of Europe ” On Combating Human Trafficking”, “Equal Work for Men and Women”, “Equal pay for women”, “Citizenship of a married woman”, “Employment and employment conventions”, etc.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia established a Women’s Affairs Council under the Prime Minister in 2000, the purpose of which was to be in the public, political and economic spheres, as well as in state and public administration raising the status of women at all levels and equal rights for women and men. Promoting equal opportunities.
Council of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, 11th of February 2010 Adopted the Gender Policy Concept by Protocol Decision No. 5.
The goal of the gender concept is to create equal conditions for gender discrimination. Overcoming all forms of labor in the labor market, equal employment opportunities for women and men, equal access to economic resources. Democratic political culture and gender tolerance in society. Dialogue through gender mainstreaming in all walks of life.
It is vital for Armenian women to be aware of the fact that the listed legal acts are still part of it. Documents that protect their rights, in which they are enshrined and/or reflected such basic concepts and principles as, for example, the fundamental human belief rights, human dignity, and worth of men and women. The principle of the inadmissibility of discrimination against equality declares that all people are born with dignity and rights, free and equal, that everyone has all the rights and freedom set forth in the Declaration, without any discrimination. It seems that without discrimination on the basis of gender, discrimination against women is a violation. The principles of equality, respect for human dignity, hinder the participation of women on an equal footing with men in the political, social, economic cultural life, incompatible with the growth of society and family welfare and makes it more difficult for women to fully realize their potential for the benefit of their countries and of humanity, etc.
Written by Lilia Simonyan