Armenian Ombudsperson presents key challenges in protecting women`s  rights  to  UN working group

ArmInfo. Armenian Ombudsperson Anahit Manasyan has presented the main challenges facing women's rights in the country at a meeting with the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls, which is currently in the country on a monitoring visit.

According to the Armenian Human Rights Defender's office, she  addressed issues such as sex-selective abortion, domestic violence,  the persecution of women human rights defenders, and issues related  to early marriage in national minority communities, including the  Yazidi community. Manasyan also spoke about the challenges faced by  women with disabilities, members of national minorities, and women  deprived of their liberty. In this vein, she emphasized the need for  the state to take effective and consistent measures to reform the  women's rights sector and reported on expanding cooperation with  civil society organizations and beneficiary groups. The human rights  defender acknowledged that, despite the positive changes recorded in  recent years, systemic issues still persist in this area. These  issues are regularly mentioned in the Ombudsman's reports and  discussed with both Armenian government agencies and international  partners.

Manasyan also presented the steps taken by the Office of the  Ombudsman of Armenia to protect women's rights and raise public  awareness of gender-based violence. According to the Human Rights  Defender of Armenia, large-scale information campaigns have been  conducted, annual and extraordinary reports have been published to  identify problems in the sector, and solutions have been proposed.  She also emphasized the importance of the Public Council on Women's  Rights under the Ombudsman of Armenia as an expert platform that  promotes women's equality, facilitates public participation, and  prevents gender-based violence. Manasyan also presented initiatives  aimed at ensuring gender equality in Armenia, announcing that in  April 2024, the Ombudsman's Office officially launched the process of  introducing a gender equality award, marking the first time this has  been implemented in Armenia. During the meeting with the working  group, the draft law "On Prevention and Protection from  Discrimination" and existing challenges in this area were also  discussed.

Manasyan emphasized the importance of institutionally strengthening  the Ombudsman's office, noting the need for sufficient human,  technical, and financial resources to fully implement the mandate,  including monitoring obligations under international conventions. In  conclusion, she reaffirmed the Ombudsman's office commitment to  consistent work in all identified areas. In turn, the members of the  working group, emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue and  cooperation in protecting women's rights.