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On October 30, the RA NA Vice President Hakob Arshakyan participated in the panel discussion Women’s Role in Consensus Building, Security and Peace within the framework of the Conference organized by Katarine Community Bridgers program.

Hakob Arshakyan highlighted the women’s engagement in public hearing processes, at the decision-making level and spoke about the problems and progress existing in the sphere.

“Our political force and the state are the very supporters of it. This is an important and cornerstone issue, as presenting the interests of the community we should take into consideration that the women are those who are aware of their rights and vulnerable issues concerning them, and they should be engaged in the decision-making bodies and make decisions,” the NA Vice President stated. In this context he also referred to the positive steps aimed at the rise of the women’s role in the state system and added: “Though the by our legislation the quota relates to 30%, but in the Parliament of Armenia the women’s involvement is more than 35%.”

At the panel discussion reference was also made to the women’s involvement in the negotiation processes. “The problem is not only the women’s presence in the very negotiation process, which I value very much, but the opportunity of expressing their opinion in the peace process and the importance of its influence,” Hakob Arshakyan opined.

The NA Vice President underscored in the series of problems the issues of the women’s education, restriction of the opportunities of assuming leadership and responsibility, also often the attitude driving behavioral changes of the society towards them.

Without denying the existence of the problems, Hakob Arshakyan also recorded essential progress. According to him, the freedom of speech and information field, free press, social networks, technological progress will contribute to increasing the role of women and eliminating discriminatory attitude towards them.

The deputy of the Civil Contract Faction Sona Ghazaryan and the deputy of the Armenia Faction Anna Grigoryan also took part in the panel discussion. They also expressed viewpoints over the obstacles of the women’s participation in the peace and security process and the ways of overcoming them.

Sona Ghazaryan, particularly, spoke about the formation of favourable environment for the women’s economic and political advancement, the importance of boosting the young women’s participation in political processes. She also evaluated the women’s position in the negotiations aimed at peace, as well as highly appreciated their activity on the parliamentary diplomacy platform.

As Anna Grigoryan assessed, if the women were much more involved in those negotiation, the progress would be more in that issue. The Deputy touched upon the women’s impact in making reforms and decisions and in security.