Women Were at the Forefront of the Revolution in Armenia: Zohrabyan

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe discussed the implementation and challenges of the Istanbul Convention on Violence Against Women on June 25. Member of the Armenian delegation to the PACE and National Assembly member, Naira Zohrabyan, emphasized that any violence against women, whether physical or psychological, is a crime and must be punished by law. She added that both international and national legal instruments should be strengthened through coordinated actions at political, legal, and institutional levels.

In her speech, Zohrabyan stated: “Physical and psychological violence against women continues to be a serious challenge in many Council of Europe member states, and I emphasize the importance of discussing this issue in our Assembly. One thing is clear: any violence against women is a crime, and it must be punished by law. Therefore, both international and national legal instruments should be reinforced through our coordinated actions at political, legal, and institutional levels.”

The Council of Europe has made an invaluable contribution to international law by developing the Convention on the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, which is the primary legal tool in this field today. Armenia, as a country with unique values, places great importance on the protection of women’s rights and their role in democratic processes. It is no coincidence that women were at the forefront of the revolution that took place in Armenia last year.

“Dear colleagues, last year Armenia signed Convention No. 210, and in December 2017, the parliament ratified the law on the prevention of domestic violence. Recently, the action plan of the Council of Europe for Armenia includes a series of measures aimed at the effective implementation of the already adopted law.”

“And yes, as the rapporteur mentioned, the Armenian parliament has been very active in the parliamentary network for women’s rights to live without violence. This network provides an opportunity for parliamentarians from national parliaments to organize public awareness campaigns and provide political support for the protection of women's rights.”

Furthermore, the declaration adopted at the Francophonie Summit held in Yerevan clearly states that there is...