Manifestation of Women's Movement in Armenia

A collection of articles Manifestation of Women’s Movement in Armenia at the end of 20th Beginning of 21st Century is an outcome of the project implemented by the Women’s Resource Center in Armenia. The project was implemented with the financial support of the South Caucasus office of Heinrich Böll Foundation, and had the aim of raising the awareness of Armenian society on the issues of the feminist movement, women’s rights, and gender equality. During the period of September through November of 2015, a series of public lectures on the issues of women’s rights and women’s participation was discussed through various scientific concepts and approaches. All of the lectures that were delivered had data that had undergone a theoretical analyses based upon the respective presenter’s researches.

In the public lectures, pertinent topics such as myths and stereotypes surrounding feminism, socio-economic status of Armenian women in Ottoman Empire, the history of Armenian women’s movement, and questions regarding the representation of women in the on-going Armenian political discourse were addressed. The way in which these topics and concerns are presented in the mainstream media were presented and discussed. Special attention was also given to the topic of feminist art and its various manifestations and representations through the medium of found in the Armenian culture.

It was a unique opportunity to talk about feminism and women’s rights in Armenia. Furthermore, it was also an opportunity to break the deeply rooted stereotypes around these topics through the medium of public lectures and open discussions. Lastly, it was also an attempt to discuss the various forms of manipulation that surround the issue of women’s rights at different stages of cultural and political developments in Armenian society. Based on the great interest displayed, and the involvement of more than forty participants—for which we express our deep gratitude to all participants involved—we have chosen a specific format to speak about women’s rights. In the future, the surrounding issue of gender equality can assist in changing the misinformation that surrounds these topics. While at the same time, the public lectures created a space for scientifically proven insights, and healthy discussions with respect to the topics of feminism and women’s rights.

Project Coordinator

Gohar Shahnazaryan