Armenian Foreign Minister declares his determination to advance  gender equality and women`s empowerment as fundamental means of  advancing human rights

ArmInfo.  As we approach the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, we face a difficult paradox. We possess a robust international framework that recognizes both the disproportionate impact of  conflicts on women and their indispensable role in peacebuilding, as  stated by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan during his speech  at the opening ceremony of the 4th Ministerial Conference on Feminist  Foreign Policy.

Below is the full text of the FM's speech at the event published by  the foreign ministry:  "It is a privilege to be here in Paris -  a  city whose essence embodies liberty and equality -  on this very  important agenda with this very important topic.  I have come here to  express my strong solidarity with this agenda and with all of you  personally, my solidarity as a Minister, my solidarity as a human  being, and my solidarity as a man.  So allow me to begin by  expressing my appreciation to Minister Jean-Noel Barrot for convening  this important conference on feminist foreign policies, as well as to  the Government of France for its leadership in advancing women's  rights and promoting a diplomacy grounded in inclusion and peace.  As   we approach the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution  1325, we face a difficult paradox.  We possess a robust international  framework that recognizes both the disproportionate impact of  conflicts on women and their indispensable role in peacebuilding.  Yet, the gap between principle and practice remains wide -  and,  tragically, widening.

Across the world -  from Ukraine and the Middle East to Africa and  beyond -  we are witnessing the devastating human cost of this  failure. Women continue to feel the consequences of conflict, bearing  a heavy burden of loss and insecurity.  For Armenia, the title of our  gathering -  "The Time for Peace Has Come" -  carries profound  meaning.  Peace has just been established between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, ending the long-lasting conflict, full of blood,  violence, loss of human lives, displacement and very deep trauma. The  two countries are now trying to institutionalize the peace and  normalize the relations, passing through the difficult path of  reconciliation.  So, I come from a region where women - mothers,  wives, sisters and daughters - have suffered, experienced severe  consequences of conflict, the loss of life of their beloved ones. And  today it is very compelling and emotional to speak about their  important role in promoting the idea of regional reconciliation in  our society. Emotional, because each of us knows the hardships they  have gone through.  Compelling, because with the peace agenda we have  adopted today, we are trying to address and prevent such hardships,  such loss in the future. 

I am sure that those women in Armenia listening to me at this moment  share the belief that peace is the key - the key to preventing those  losses for future generations. And I am also confident that those  women, whether consciously or instinctively, feel the unique role  they have in the difficult mission of promotion of peace at times  when the wounds are still very fresh and painful. The state stands  firmly by their side. 

Dear colleagues, Even in the face of profound hardships, the  challenges have not weakened but strengthened our resolve to advance  gender equality and women's empowerment as one of the fundamental  measures to uphold human rights and democracy and a foundation for  sustainable development and social progress. From combating  gender-based violence and discrimination to advancing opportunities  for women and girls in education, sciences, technology, and  engineering, our efforts encompass every sector of public life. Once  dominated by men, now the country's tech sector employs 30 percent  women, larger than the 20 percent global average. Overall, Armenian  women scientists make up nearly 52% of researchers in Armenia,  significantly exceeding the global average of 30%.

Today, women already hold 36 per cent of seats in our National  Assembly. Key institutions traditionally dominated by men -   including the Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs, as well as  the Office of the Prosecutor General and recently established  Intelligence Service -  are now led by women.  Armenia is firmly  committed to advancing women's leadership and equal participation in  diplomatic service. The percentage of women in Armenia's diplomatic  service is 44.4 percent and this number is growing, continuing the  legacy of Diana Abgar, an Armenian diplomat of the early 1900s, one  of the first women in modern diplomacy and a proud representative of  Armenia's enduring belief in women's leadership. Yet this progress is  not merely statistical. Being a merit-based approach, it represents a  profound cultural shift toward a more equitable and, therefore, more  resilient and efficient state.  This domestic transformation also  shapes our international engagement. This has been demonstrated in:   - our co-sponsorship of the United Nations General Assembly  resolution proclaiming the International Day of Women in Diplomacy in  2022,  - our active engagement in UN Women's flagship Generation  Equality initiative, - Armenia's joining the "Technology and  Innovation for Gender Equality" Action Coalition.

Of course, one of the most significant and, indeed, tangible  expressions of this understanding is Armenia's newly adopted Third  National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which carries the  title "Investing in Global Efforts to Establish Peace." It is firmly  rooted in the recognition that peace is not an abstract aspiration  but a lived experience, notably in border communities, in the process  of refugee integration, and in the voices and leadership of women.

  Excellencies, Much has undoubtedly been achieved, yet much remains to  be done, as the path to progress is never complete. We remain  committed to this process, steadfast in our conviction that true  progress can only be achieved when the principles of equality and  democracy are fully realized and transformed into lasting foundations  for peace and sustainable development.  I wish all the participants  of this conference productive discussions!"