I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA FOR WOMEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE: REPORT
This report aims to assess how well abused women’s right to have access to justice is protected in the Republic of Armenia. The report addresses the attitude of state authorities, from a police officer to a judge, towards abused women in the pre-trial and judicial stages as well as the challenges on the way to justice.
To achieve the above-mentioned goal, the court hearings on cases on domestic violence were monitored in 2021-2022, and the judicial acts made in domestic violence cases in 2018-2022 were studied. In order to reveal the existing problems at the pre-trial stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with women who were victims of domestic violence.
PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA.National Conference 2022
The national conference “Prevention of gender-based violence in Armenia” was organized within the framework of the 2020-2022 EU-financed project entitled “Women human rights defenders stepping up against gender-based violence in Armenia”.
The conference took place on November 29, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia. More than 100 participants from the Republic of Armenia came together to discuss the existing challenges and legal gaps impacting victims of gender-based violence, including marginalized women, as well as the successes to date and steps forward in preventing and combating gender-based violence.
Conference speakers included the European Union Ambassador, RA Human Rights Defender, Members of Parliament, deputy ministers, criminal justice department heads, chief specialists at various ministries, and other state representatives as well as civil society representatives representing various marginalized groups across Armenia.
This conference reports aims to present the various speakers’ speeches during the conference and summarize discussions and recommendations. The report is prepared in the spirit of the conference, echoing the call to action repeated by many actors, namely that representatives of the state and civil society stand ready to collaborate and carry out large-scale efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The report is also available in Armenian.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY SUPPORT CENTERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The purpose of the “Problems and Challenges Faced by Support Centers Providing Services to Victims of Domestic Violence” research is to highlight legislative and procedural gaps hindering the work of support centers providing services to persons exposed to domestic violence operating in 10 regions of Armenia since 2020.
To achieve that goal, the possibilities of support centers were considered: financial, professional, logistics, accessibility and recognition of support centers among the residents of the region, and cooperation of support centers with state institutions.
The report concludes with recommendations that will assist relevant authorities in developing and implementing legal procedures.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Neglected Violence: Femicide in Armenia
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases
tried in Armenia’s courts from 2018-2021.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public
about the phenomenon of femicide and the reasons for it, as well as
present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence.
The report reflects the stories of women murdered from 2018 to 2021. It
presents the court decisions related to their criminal cases and the legal
gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
The report is also available in Armenian.
CHALLENGES AND GAPS IN ARMENIA’S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Throughout this paper we offer numerous evidencebased examples, based on the work of Women’s Support Center and Women’s Resource Center NGOs. These examples point out the existing gaps in the system. To address these gaps and existing challenges, this paper will provide recommendations, based on our experience and international best practices. Armenia needs to implement these best practices in order to protect the victim and prevent domestic violence. Only in this way will Armenia start to combat domestic violence both at the state and societal levels.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Istanbul Convention: Policy Brief
This policy brief summarizes the purpose of The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), successful examples of ratification, the situation around the Convention in Armenia, and the reasons why it should be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention will provide the State with a roadmap and support mechanisms to improve the prevention and elimination of domestic violence.
The appendix to the policy brief clearly addresses all the speculations that are circulated by different groups and attributed to the Convention.
The summary is also available in Armenian.
Silenced voices: femicide in Armenia
The report is dedicated to women who have fallen victim to femicide and have been tragically killed by their partners, family members and other men.
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases tried in Armenia’s courts in the period of 2016-2017.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public about the phenomenon of femicide and its reasons, as well as present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence. The report touches on the stories of women murdered from 2016 to 2017, presenting the court decisions related to their criminal cases and also identifying the legal gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
“Combating Violence against Women in Armenia and Georgia։ Sharing Experience and Strategizing on Further Cooperation”
On 16-17 October 2017, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women organized a regional conference, with the participation of experts, government and NGO representatives and other stakeholders from the two South Caucasus countries – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.
The two days regional conference “Combating violence against women in Armenia and Georgia: Sharing experiences and strategizing on further cooperation” became the first of its kind platform for discussing existing challenges and best practices in the scope of the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in both countries.
Research on law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”
On 20 May 2013, Armenia has adopted the Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”. It is an important document to have a material legal basis for fight against sex based discrimination. However, gender discrimination continues to be one of the problematic issues in our society.
The given legal analytical research has the aim to conduct a comprehensive study on the provision of the RA Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”and its implementation and to reveal the legal gaps and problems. The analysis has resulted in recommendations for improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice based thereon, which may be useful for role-players and decision-makers of the development of sphere policy.
Femicide in Armenia: A Silent Epidemic
Published by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, this report records the death of women killed by intimate partners and family members and sheds light on the manifestations of gender-related killings and acts of violence that are uniquely experienced by women in Armenia.
We choose to use the term femicide in this report as opposed to the more gender-neutral term homicide, which overlooks the unique systems of inequality and oppression that women face. Domestic homicides in Armenia are largely carried out by men, and in the rare instances that they are carried out by women against male intimate partners, it is often in self defense. Thus, the gendered context and impact of domestic abuse warrants its own unique category.
Legalizing the stereotypes: women victims’ access to justice and gender stereotyping in the framework of gender based violence judicial proceedings
Since 2010 the Coalition has attended judicial proceedings of 9 women in RA courts:- 3 cases of femicide, 2 cases of torture, 3 battery and 1 illegal case of separation of the child from the parents. Except the latter that is the gross violation of the right to a fair trial on the grounds of gender discrimination, in all other cases the victims and perpetrators have de facto marital relations at the time of the offense and in one case the perpetrator was her mother-in-law.
The aim of the study is to reveal whether women living in the RA has de jure access to justice in the framework of local legal acts and international human rights instruments ratified by the RA on the one hand. The analyzes of these 9 judiciar cases is aimed to reveal de facto situation for women subjected to domestic violence or gender based violence on the other hand. To reveal whether the RA accomplished its positive and negative obligations to prevent, protect and punish gender based violence three main indicators ( right to fair trial- access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies, effective legal remedies availability and equal and free from gender stereotyping treatment in courtrooms) were used for both factual and legal analyzes. All the findings are mentioned below are limited to the frame of 9 analyzed judicial cases.
Read the summary of the report here.
PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA.National Conference 2022
The national conference “Prevention of gender-based violence in Armenia” was organized within the framework of the 2020-2022 EU-financed project entitled “Women human rights defenders stepping up against gender-based violence in Armenia”.
The conference took place on November 29, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia. More than 100 participants from the Republic of Armenia came together to discuss the existing challenges and legal gaps impacting victims of gender-based violence, including marginalized women, as well as the successes to date and steps forward in preventing and combating gender-based violence.
Conference speakers included the European Union Ambassador, RA Human Rights Defender, Members of Parliament, deputy ministers, criminal justice department heads, chief specialists at various ministries, and other state representatives as well as civil society representatives representing various marginalized groups across Armenia.
This conference reports aims to present the various speakers’ speeches during the conference and summarize discussions and recommendations. The report is prepared in the spirit of the conference, echoing the call to action repeated by many actors, namely that representatives of the state and civil society stand ready to collaborate and carry out large-scale efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The report is also available in Armenian.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY SUPPORT CENTERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The purpose of the “Problems and Challenges Faced by Support Centers Providing Services to Victims of Domestic Violence” research is to highlight legislative and procedural gaps hindering the work of support centers providing services to persons exposed to domestic violence operating in 10 regions of Armenia since 2020.
To achieve that goal, the possibilities of support centers were considered: financial, professional, logistics, accessibility and recognition of support centers among the residents of the region, and cooperation of support centers with state institutions.
The report concludes with recommendations that will assist relevant authorities in developing and implementing legal procedures.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Neglected Violence: Femicide in Armenia
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases
tried in Armenia’s courts from 2018-2021.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public
about the phenomenon of femicide and the reasons for it, as well as
present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence.
The report reflects the stories of women murdered from 2018 to 2021. It
presents the court decisions related to their criminal cases and the legal
gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
The report is also available in Armenian.
CHALLENGES AND GAPS IN ARMENIA’S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Throughout this paper we offer numerous evidencebased examples, based on the work of Women’s Support Center and Women’s Resource Center NGOs. These examples point out the existing gaps in the system. To address these gaps and existing challenges, this paper will provide recommendations, based on our experience and international best practices. Armenia needs to implement these best practices in order to protect the victim and prevent domestic violence. Only in this way will Armenia start to combat domestic violence both at the state and societal levels.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Istanbul Convention: Policy Brief
This policy brief summarizes the purpose of The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), successful examples of ratification, the situation around the Convention in Armenia, and the reasons why it should be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention will provide the State with a roadmap and support mechanisms to improve the prevention and elimination of domestic violence.
The appendix to the policy brief clearly addresses all the speculations that are circulated by different groups and attributed to the Convention.
The summary is also available in Armenian.
Silenced voices: femicide in Armenia
The report is dedicated to women who have fallen victim to femicide and have been tragically killed by their partners, family members and other men.
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases tried in Armenia’s courts in the period of 2016-2017.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public about the phenomenon of femicide and its reasons, as well as present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence. The report touches on the stories of women murdered from 2016 to 2017, presenting the court decisions related to their criminal cases and also identifying the legal gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
“Combating Violence against Women in Armenia and Georgia։ Sharing Experience and Strategizing on Further Cooperation”
On 16-17 October 2017, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women organized a regional conference, with the participation of experts, government and NGO representatives and other stakeholders from the two South Caucasus countries – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.
The two days regional conference “Combating violence against women in Armenia and Georgia: Sharing experiences and strategizing on further cooperation” became the first of its kind platform for discussing existing challenges and best practices in the scope of the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in both countries.
Research on law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”
On 20 May 2013, Armenia has adopted the Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”. It is an important document to have a material legal basis for fight against sex based discrimination. However, gender discrimination continues to be one of the problematic issues in our society.
The given legal analytical research has the aim to conduct a comprehensive study on the provision of the RA Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”and its implementation and to reveal the legal gaps and problems. The analysis has resulted in recommendations for improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice based thereon, which may be useful for role-players and decision-makers of the development of sphere policy.
Femicide in Armenia: A Silent Epidemic
Published by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, this report records the death of women killed by intimate partners and family members and sheds light on the manifestations of gender-related killings and acts of violence that are uniquely experienced by women in Armenia.
We choose to use the term femicide in this report as opposed to the more gender-neutral term homicide, which overlooks the unique systems of inequality and oppression that women face. Domestic homicides in Armenia are largely carried out by men, and in the rare instances that they are carried out by women against male intimate partners, it is often in self defense. Thus, the gendered context and impact of domestic abuse warrants its own unique category.
Legalizing the stereotypes: women victims’ access to justice and gender stereotyping in the framework of gender based violence judicial proceedings
Since 2010 the Coalition has attended judicial proceedings of 9 women in RA courts:- 3 cases of femicide, 2 cases of torture, 3 battery and 1 illegal case of separation of the child from the parents. Except the latter that is the gross violation of the right to a fair trial on the grounds of gender discrimination, in all other cases the victims and perpetrators have de facto marital relations at the time of the offense and in one case the perpetrator was her mother-in-law.
The aim of the study is to reveal whether women living in the RA has de jure access to justice in the framework of local legal acts and international human rights instruments ratified by the RA on the one hand. The analyzes of these 9 judiciar cases is aimed to reveal de facto situation for women subjected to domestic violence or gender based violence on the other hand. To reveal whether the RA accomplished its positive and negative obligations to prevent, protect and punish gender based violence three main indicators ( right to fair trial- access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies, effective legal remedies availability and equal and free from gender stereotyping treatment in courtrooms) were used for both factual and legal analyzes. All the findings are mentioned below are limited to the frame of 9 analyzed judicial cases.
Read the summary of the report here.
PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA.National Conference 2022
The national conference “Prevention of gender-based violence in Armenia” was organized within the framework of the 2020-2022 EU-financed project entitled “Women human rights defenders stepping up against gender-based violence in Armenia”.
The conference took place on November 29, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia. More than 100 participants from the Republic of Armenia came together to discuss the existing challenges and legal gaps impacting victims of gender-based violence, including marginalized women, as well as the successes to date and steps forward in preventing and combating gender-based violence.
Conference speakers included the European Union Ambassador, RA Human Rights Defender, Members of Parliament, deputy ministers, criminal justice department heads, chief specialists at various ministries, and other state representatives as well as civil society representatives representing various marginalized groups across Armenia.
This conference reports aims to present the various speakers’ speeches during the conference and summarize discussions and recommendations. The report is prepared in the spirit of the conference, echoing the call to action repeated by many actors, namely that representatives of the state and civil society stand ready to collaborate and carry out large-scale efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The report is also available in Armenian.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY SUPPORT CENTERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The purpose of the “Problems and Challenges Faced by Support Centers Providing Services to Victims of Domestic Violence” research is to highlight legislative and procedural gaps hindering the work of support centers providing services to persons exposed to domestic violence operating in 10 regions of Armenia since 2020.
To achieve that goal, the possibilities of support centers were considered: financial, professional, logistics, accessibility and recognition of support centers among the residents of the region, and cooperation of support centers with state institutions.
The report concludes with recommendations that will assist relevant authorities in developing and implementing legal procedures.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Neglected Violence: Femicide in Armenia
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases
tried in Armenia’s courts from 2018-2021.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public
about the phenomenon of femicide and the reasons for it, as well as
present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence.
The report reflects the stories of women murdered from 2018 to 2021. It
presents the court decisions related to their criminal cases and the legal
gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
The report is also available in Armenian.
CHALLENGES AND GAPS IN ARMENIA’S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Throughout this paper we offer numerous evidencebased examples, based on the work of Women’s Support Center and Women’s Resource Center NGOs. These examples point out the existing gaps in the system. To address these gaps and existing challenges, this paper will provide recommendations, based on our experience and international best practices. Armenia needs to implement these best practices in order to protect the victim and prevent domestic violence. Only in this way will Armenia start to combat domestic violence both at the state and societal levels.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Istanbul Convention: Policy Brief
This policy brief summarizes the purpose of The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), successful examples of ratification, the situation around the Convention in Armenia, and the reasons why it should be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention will provide the State with a roadmap and support mechanisms to improve the prevention and elimination of domestic violence.
The appendix to the policy brief clearly addresses all the speculations that are circulated by different groups and attributed to the Convention.
The summary is also available in Armenian.
Silenced voices: femicide in Armenia
The report is dedicated to women who have fallen victim to femicide and have been tragically killed by their partners, family members and other men.
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases tried in Armenia’s courts in the period of 2016-2017.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public about the phenomenon of femicide and its reasons, as well as present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence. The report touches on the stories of women murdered from 2016 to 2017, presenting the court decisions related to their criminal cases and also identifying the legal gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
“Combating Violence against Women in Armenia and Georgia։ Sharing Experience and Strategizing on Further Cooperation”
On 16-17 October 2017, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women organized a regional conference, with the participation of experts, government and NGO representatives and other stakeholders from the two South Caucasus countries – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.
The two days regional conference “Combating violence against women in Armenia and Georgia: Sharing experiences and strategizing on further cooperation” became the first of its kind platform for discussing existing challenges and best practices in the scope of the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in both countries.
Research on law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”
On 20 May 2013, Armenia has adopted the Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”. It is an important document to have a material legal basis for fight against sex based discrimination. However, gender discrimination continues to be one of the problematic issues in our society.
The given legal analytical research has the aim to conduct a comprehensive study on the provision of the RA Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”and its implementation and to reveal the legal gaps and problems. The analysis has resulted in recommendations for improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice based thereon, which may be useful for role-players and decision-makers of the development of sphere policy.
Femicide in Armenia: A Silent Epidemic
Published by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, this report records the death of women killed by intimate partners and family members and sheds light on the manifestations of gender-related killings and acts of violence that are uniquely experienced by women in Armenia.
We choose to use the term femicide in this report as opposed to the more gender-neutral term homicide, which overlooks the unique systems of inequality and oppression that women face. Domestic homicides in Armenia are largely carried out by men, and in the rare instances that they are carried out by women against male intimate partners, it is often in self defense. Thus, the gendered context and impact of domestic abuse warrants its own unique category.
Legalizing the stereotypes: women victims’ access to justice and gender stereotyping in the framework of gender based violence judicial proceedings
Since 2010 the Coalition has attended judicial proceedings of 9 women in RA courts:- 3 cases of femicide, 2 cases of torture, 3 battery and 1 illegal case of separation of the child from the parents. Except the latter that is the gross violation of the right to a fair trial on the grounds of gender discrimination, in all other cases the victims and perpetrators have de facto marital relations at the time of the offense and in one case the perpetrator was her mother-in-law.
The aim of the study is to reveal whether women living in the RA has de jure access to justice in the framework of local legal acts and international human rights instruments ratified by the RA on the one hand. The analyzes of these 9 judiciar cases is aimed to reveal de facto situation for women subjected to domestic violence or gender based violence on the other hand. To reveal whether the RA accomplished its positive and negative obligations to prevent, protect and punish gender based violence three main indicators ( right to fair trial- access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies, effective legal remedies availability and equal and free from gender stereotyping treatment in courtrooms) were used for both factual and legal analyzes. All the findings are mentioned below are limited to the frame of 9 analyzed judicial cases.
Read the summary of the report here.
PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA.National Conference 2022
The national conference “Prevention of gender-based violence in Armenia” was organized within the framework of the 2020-2022 EU-financed project entitled “Women human rights defenders stepping up against gender-based violence in Armenia”.
The conference took place on November 29, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia. More than 100 participants from the Republic of Armenia came together to discuss the existing challenges and legal gaps impacting victims of gender-based violence, including marginalized women, as well as the successes to date and steps forward in preventing and combating gender-based violence.
Conference speakers included the European Union Ambassador, RA Human Rights Defender, Members of Parliament, deputy ministers, criminal justice department heads, chief specialists at various ministries, and other state representatives as well as civil society representatives representing various marginalized groups across Armenia.
This conference reports aims to present the various speakers’ speeches during the conference and summarize discussions and recommendations. The report is prepared in the spirit of the conference, echoing the call to action repeated by many actors, namely that representatives of the state and civil society stand ready to collaborate and carry out large-scale efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The report is also available in Armenian.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY SUPPORT CENTERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The purpose of the “Problems and Challenges Faced by Support Centers Providing Services to Victims of Domestic Violence” research is to highlight legislative and procedural gaps hindering the work of support centers providing services to persons exposed to domestic violence operating in 10 regions of Armenia since 2020.
To achieve that goal, the possibilities of support centers were considered: financial, professional, logistics, accessibility and recognition of support centers among the residents of the region, and cooperation of support centers with state institutions.
The report concludes with recommendations that will assist relevant authorities in developing and implementing legal procedures.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Neglected Violence: Femicide in Armenia
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases
tried in Armenia’s courts from 2018-2021.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public
about the phenomenon of femicide and the reasons for it, as well as
present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence.
The report reflects the stories of women murdered from 2018 to 2021. It
presents the court decisions related to their criminal cases and the legal
gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
The report is also available in Armenian.
CHALLENGES AND GAPS IN ARMENIA’S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Throughout this paper we offer numerous evidencebased examples, based on the work of Women’s Support Center and Women’s Resource Center NGOs. These examples point out the existing gaps in the system. To address these gaps and existing challenges, this paper will provide recommendations, based on our experience and international best practices. Armenia needs to implement these best practices in order to protect the victim and prevent domestic violence. Only in this way will Armenia start to combat domestic violence both at the state and societal levels.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Istanbul Convention: Policy Brief
This policy brief summarizes the purpose of The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), successful examples of ratification, the situation around the Convention in Armenia, and the reasons why it should be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention will provide the State with a roadmap and support mechanisms to improve the prevention and elimination of domestic violence.
The appendix to the policy brief clearly addresses all the speculations that are circulated by different groups and attributed to the Convention.
The summary is also available in Armenian.
Silenced voices: femicide in Armenia
The report is dedicated to women who have fallen victim to femicide and have been tragically killed by their partners, family members and other men.
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases tried in Armenia’s courts in the period of 2016-2017.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public about the phenomenon of femicide and its reasons, as well as present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence. The report touches on the stories of women murdered from 2016 to 2017, presenting the court decisions related to their criminal cases and also identifying the legal gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
“Combating Violence against Women in Armenia and Georgia։ Sharing Experience and Strategizing on Further Cooperation”
On 16-17 October 2017, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women organized a regional conference, with the participation of experts, government and NGO representatives and other stakeholders from the two South Caucasus countries – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.
The two days regional conference “Combating violence against women in Armenia and Georgia: Sharing experiences and strategizing on further cooperation” became the first of its kind platform for discussing existing challenges and best practices in the scope of the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in both countries.
Research on law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”
On 20 May 2013, Armenia has adopted the Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”. It is an important document to have a material legal basis for fight against sex based discrimination. However, gender discrimination continues to be one of the problematic issues in our society.
The given legal analytical research has the aim to conduct a comprehensive study on the provision of the RA Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”and its implementation and to reveal the legal gaps and problems. The analysis has resulted in recommendations for improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice based thereon, which may be useful for role-players and decision-makers of the development of sphere policy.
Femicide in Armenia: A Silent Epidemic
Published by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, this report records the death of women killed by intimate partners and family members and sheds light on the manifestations of gender-related killings and acts of violence that are uniquely experienced by women in Armenia.
We choose to use the term femicide in this report as opposed to the more gender-neutral term homicide, which overlooks the unique systems of inequality and oppression that women face. Domestic homicides in Armenia are largely carried out by men, and in the rare instances that they are carried out by women against male intimate partners, it is often in self defense. Thus, the gendered context and impact of domestic abuse warrants its own unique category.
Legalizing the stereotypes: women victims’ access to justice and gender stereotyping in the framework of gender based violence judicial proceedings
Since 2010 the Coalition has attended judicial proceedings of 9 women in RA courts:- 3 cases of femicide, 2 cases of torture, 3 battery and 1 illegal case of separation of the child from the parents. Except the latter that is the gross violation of the right to a fair trial on the grounds of gender discrimination, in all other cases the victims and perpetrators have de facto marital relations at the time of the offense and in one case the perpetrator was her mother-in-law.
The aim of the study is to reveal whether women living in the RA has de jure access to justice in the framework of local legal acts and international human rights instruments ratified by the RA on the one hand. The analyzes of these 9 judiciar cases is aimed to reveal de facto situation for women subjected to domestic violence or gender based violence on the other hand. To reveal whether the RA accomplished its positive and negative obligations to prevent, protect and punish gender based violence three main indicators ( right to fair trial- access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies, effective legal remedies availability and equal and free from gender stereotyping treatment in courtrooms) were used for both factual and legal analyzes. All the findings are mentioned below are limited to the frame of 9 analyzed judicial cases.
Read the summary of the report here.
PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA.National Conference 2022
The national conference “Prevention of gender-based violence in Armenia” was organized within the framework of the 2020-2022 EU-financed project entitled “Women human rights defenders stepping up against gender-based violence in Armenia”.
The conference took place on November 29, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia. More than 100 participants from the Republic of Armenia came together to discuss the existing challenges and legal gaps impacting victims of gender-based violence, including marginalized women, as well as the successes to date and steps forward in preventing and combating gender-based violence.
Conference speakers included the European Union Ambassador, RA Human Rights Defender, Members of Parliament, deputy ministers, criminal justice department heads, chief specialists at various ministries, and other state representatives as well as civil society representatives representing various marginalized groups across Armenia.
This conference reports aims to present the various speakers’ speeches during the conference and summarize discussions and recommendations. The report is prepared in the spirit of the conference, echoing the call to action repeated by many actors, namely that representatives of the state and civil society stand ready to collaborate and carry out large-scale efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The report is also available in Armenian.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FACED BY SUPPORT CENTERS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The purpose of the “Problems and Challenges Faced by Support Centers Providing Services to Victims of Domestic Violence” research is to highlight legislative and procedural gaps hindering the work of support centers providing services to persons exposed to domestic violence operating in 10 regions of Armenia since 2020.
To achieve that goal, the possibilities of support centers were considered: financial, professional, logistics, accessibility and recognition of support centers among the residents of the region, and cooperation of support centers with state institutions.
The report concludes with recommendations that will assist relevant authorities in developing and implementing legal procedures.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Neglected Violence: Femicide in Armenia
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases
tried in Armenia’s courts from 2018-2021.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public
about the phenomenon of femicide and the reasons for it, as well as
present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence.
The report reflects the stories of women murdered from 2018 to 2021. It
presents the court decisions related to their criminal cases and the legal
gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
The report is also available in Armenian.
CHALLENGES AND GAPS IN ARMENIA’S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Throughout this paper we offer numerous evidencebased examples, based on the work of Women’s Support Center and Women’s Resource Center NGOs. These examples point out the existing gaps in the system. To address these gaps and existing challenges, this paper will provide recommendations, based on our experience and international best practices. Armenia needs to implement these best practices in order to protect the victim and prevent domestic violence. Only in this way will Armenia start to combat domestic violence both at the state and societal levels.
The report is also available in Armenian.
Istanbul Convention: Policy Brief
This policy brief summarizes the purpose of The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), successful examples of ratification, the situation around the Convention in Armenia, and the reasons why it should be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention will provide the State with a roadmap and support mechanisms to improve the prevention and elimination of domestic violence.
The appendix to the policy brief clearly addresses all the speculations that are circulated by different groups and attributed to the Convention.
The summary is also available in Armenian.
Silenced voices: femicide in Armenia
The report is dedicated to women who have fallen victim to femicide and have been tragically killed by their partners, family members and other men.
The report presents the concept of femicide and analyses femicide cases tried in Armenia’s courts in the period of 2016-2017.
The aim of the document is to inform state institutions and the public about the phenomenon of femicide and its reasons, as well as present the correlation between femicide and domestic violence. The report touches on the stories of women murdered from 2016 to 2017, presenting the court decisions related to their criminal cases and also identifying the legal gaps that exist in Armenia’s legislative and law enforcement systems.
“Combating Violence against Women in Armenia and Georgia։ Sharing Experience and Strategizing on Further Cooperation”
On 16-17 October 2017, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women organized a regional conference, with the participation of experts, government and NGO representatives and other stakeholders from the two South Caucasus countries – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.
The two days regional conference “Combating violence against women in Armenia and Georgia: Sharing experiences and strategizing on further cooperation” became the first of its kind platform for discussing existing challenges and best practices in the scope of the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in both countries.
Research on law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”
On 20 May 2013, Armenia has adopted the Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”. It is an important document to have a material legal basis for fight against sex based discrimination. However, gender discrimination continues to be one of the problematic issues in our society.
The given legal analytical research has the aim to conduct a comprehensive study on the provision of the RA Law “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men”and its implementation and to reveal the legal gaps and problems. The analysis has resulted in recommendations for improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice based thereon, which may be useful for role-players and decision-makers of the development of sphere policy.
Femicide in Armenia: A Silent Epidemic
Published by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, this report records the death of women killed by intimate partners and family members and sheds light on the manifestations of gender-related killings and acts of violence that are uniquely experienced by women in Armenia.
We choose to use the term femicide in this report as opposed to the more gender-neutral term homicide, which overlooks the unique systems of inequality and oppression that women face. Domestic homicides in Armenia are largely carried out by men, and in the rare instances that they are carried out by women against male intimate partners, it is often in self defense. Thus, the gendered context and impact of domestic abuse warrants its own unique category.
Legalizing the stereotypes: women victims’ access to justice and gender stereotyping in the framework of gender based violence judicial proceedings
Since 2010 the Coalition has attended judicial proceedings of 9 women in RA courts:- 3 cases of femicide, 2 cases of torture, 3 battery and 1 illegal case of separation of the child from the parents. Except the latter that is the gross violation of the right to a fair trial on the grounds of gender discrimination, in all other cases the victims and perpetrators have de facto marital relations at the time of the offense and in one case the perpetrator was her mother-in-law.
The aim of the study is to reveal whether women living in the RA has de jure access to justice in the framework of local legal acts and international human rights instruments ratified by the RA on the one hand. The analyzes of these 9 judiciar cases is aimed to reveal de facto situation for women subjected to domestic violence or gender based violence on the other hand. To reveal whether the RA accomplished its positive and negative obligations to prevent, protect and punish gender based violence three main indicators ( right to fair trial- access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies, effective legal remedies availability and equal and free from gender stereotyping treatment in courtrooms) were used for both factual and legal analyzes. All the findings are mentioned below are limited to the frame of 9 analyzed judicial cases.
Read the summary of the report here.