Tuesday, September 25 2018 14:51

ArmInfo.Human rights should be at the center of attention of the new government of  Armenia. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja  Mijatovic made this statement, summing up the results of the visit to  Armenia, which took place on September 15-20.

"Armenia's peaceful transfer of power in May 2018 has been truly  remarkable. However, popular expectations are high that there will be  tangible improvements to people's lives, and the government should  devote its attention to upholding the long-neglected rights of those  who are most vulnerable", said Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe  Commissioner for Human Rights, concluding a visit to Armenia from 15  to 20 September which focused on women's rights, gender equality and  domestic violence, the human rights of various disadvantaged and  vulnerable groups, as well as questions related to accountability for  past human rights violations.

The Commissioner devoted attention to the rights of women and their  political participation:  "Women's participation in Armenia's public  life should be more effectively promoted - especially, at the highest  levels of decision-making and at the local level, where it is  particularly low." Temporary special measures, such as mandatory  quotas, can be helpful in levelling the playing field for women and  men, and the Commissioner recommends that concrete and ambitious  targets for women's participation be pursued, including for local  elections. "The authorities should also do more to encourage women  and girls to become actively engaged in political life, to promote  role models and champions - both male and female - of women's  equality, and to foster a gender-equal education environment free  from discriminatory stereotypes", said Commissioner Mijatovic.

On the issue of equality in employment, the Commissioner considers  that Armenia should take decisive steps to ensure equal pay and equal  access to the labour market for women by combating the high gender  pay gap and abolishing the list of professions declared hazardous for  women. Armenia should also facilitate women's return to work from  maternity leave and boost the activities of the Council on Ensuring  Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men under the  Prime Minister.

The Commissioner welcomed the adoption of the "Law on prevention of  violence within the family, protection of victims of violence within  the family and restoration of peace in the family" in December 2017,  followed by the signature of the Council of Europe Convention on  preventing and combating violence against women and domestic  violence. "As Armenia moves towards the ratification of that  Convention, it should look beyond standard-setting and make sure that  the new national legislation is effectively applied as soon as it  fully enters into force in January 2019", said the Commissioner,  pointing out the need for further capacity-building and raising  awareness of law enforcement officers, investigators, social workers,  and members of the judiciary so that they are better equipped to  ensure the protection of people affected by domestic violence and  prevent re-victimisation.

The Commissioner visited the only shelter for victims of domestic  violence in the entire country, which was currently providing  accommodation and care for five women with children, a situation that  clearly falls far short of meeting existing needs. "I was glad to  hear that the government intends to open new shelters in 2019. I  think it is important that they exist not only in Yerevan, but also  in other regions and in remote areas", Commissioner Mijatovic said,  while urging the Armenian authorities to pay close attention to  ensuring the right to education of children staying in such shelters.

On the rights of persons with disabilities, Commissioner Mijatovic  welcomes Armenia's efforts towards de-institutionalisation. However,  she stresses that the legal framework governing state support to  persons with disabilities should be revised. "Armenia should put an  end to plenary guardianship for persons with psycho-social  disabilities. It should move towards introducing a regime for  supported decision-making for such persons. Their confinement to  large state institutions is absolutely not the right path", said the  Commissioner. She found the small care home in Spitak to provide a  more conducive environment for the residents' individual empowerment  and self-reliance.

On inclusive education for children with disabilities, the  Commissioner commends the government's firm commitment to make all  education inclusive by 2025 and calls on it to persist in its efforts  to achieve this goal. She recommends that special attention is paid  to ensuring inclusive education at the pre-school (kindergarten)  level and to applying de-institutionalisation equally to children  with and without disabilities.

During a visit to the Nork children's care home in Yerevan, the  Commissioner was gratified to observe the quality of care and  dedication of its staff, but was concerned by the presence of many  children - both with and without disabilities - who have been either  temporarily confined or outright abandoned by their parents, often on  grounds of indigence. "All children have the right to grow up in a  family and neither disability nor poverty should justify their  placement in institutions", the Commissioner said, adding that "the  government should - first and foremost - allocate sufficient  resources for community support to biological parents resuming care  over their children, and continue in parallel to promote foster  care". In addition, by ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on  the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual  Abuse (the Lanzarote Convention) which it signed in 2010, Armenia  would ensure adequate protection of children from all forms of sexual  exploitation.

Regrettably, the Commissioner found the level of social protection of  older persons in Armenia to be largely inadequate. "I encourage the  Armenian authorities to ensure older persons' dignified life and  welfare through a comprehensive strategy, which should give priority  to increasing old age benefits and upholding older persons' right to  life in the community and to affordable healthcare, including for  those who choose to live in nursing homes", Commissioner Mijatovic  said.

To ensure that no-one is discriminated in any domain of public and  private life in Armenia, the authorities should promptly adopt a  comprehensive anti-discrimination law. The government should also  take a firm stance against hate speech and hate crime against LGBT  persons and ensure that all such incidents are duly condemned,  investigated and prosecuted.

Regarding the legacy of the violent events of March 2008, the  Commissioner welcomes the steps taken by Armenia to finally establish  responsibility for the ten deaths that occurred at that time and  close this painful chapter of the country's recent history. However,  she stresses that "this should be done carefully and in strict  adherence to the principles of rule of law, judicial independence,  transparency and guarantees of fair trial, in order to dispel any  accusations of alleged revenge politics or selective justice".

"As Armenia traverses this period of important transition, I  encourage all politicians and opinion leaders to contribute to  building a cohesive society and exercise special care to avoid using  polarising, stigmatising or inflammatory language in their public  discourse", the Commissioner concluded.

The Commissioner's report on her visit is forthcoming.