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From Civic Activists to Politicians:  Women Parliamentary Candidates in Armenia Want Real Engagement in the Decision-Making Process

Parliamentary candidates Mariam Chakhoyan and Sona Ghazaryan sit down with Hetq to discuss women’s participation in this year’s parliamentary election scheduled for December 9.

Mariam Chakhoyan found her motivation and drive for politics through her interactions with local constituents.

“Wealth needs to be accessible to all members of society — especially those who don’t have the means to support themselves,” explains Chakhoyan. 

Her party, the “Citizens Decision” Social Democrats, have called for public governance reforms and the expansion of social services. Chakhoyan recently traveled to Talin, where she encountered a woman living on the streets who had undergone thirteen surgeries after surviving an accident. The woman had not expected to live but told Chakhoyan she found the will to survive for her daughter.

“She was a bird without wings,” says Chakhoyan “And it’s not civil society organizations and NGOs that must give wings to these people — it’s time for the government to stand beside them.”

Like many of the other women running in this year’s parliamentary elections, Chakhoyan has a demonstrated history in civil society activism and is currently the chair of Tookhmnook, an NGO pursuing educational and environmental initiatives.

At the top of her campaign are promises to improve the environment. “It starts with responsible mining,” says Chakhoyan. Her party is advocating for a comprehensive legal framework regarding mining, stricter pollution fines, and more monitoring of mining activities to ensure standards are being met.

NGOs were a driving force in the “velvet revolution”

It is hardly surprising that nearly every political party in the upcoming election is represented by members of civil society organizations. Many have acknowledged the efforts of NGOs and the media in igniting last spring’s “velvet revolution”.

“The revolution was possible because of the continued work of NGOs and media outlets,” explains Sona Ghazaryan, a member of the Civic Contract party and another candidate for this year’s election.

Ghazaryan’s activism dates back to 2015, when she began the “No Pasaran” movement opposing the constitutional reforms that eventually transitioned Armenia into a parliamentary republic. She later worked as a media monitor for both the OSCE Mission to Armenia, and the Union of Informed Citizens. In 2018, Ghazaryan and friends initiated the “Reject Serzh” movement and took the streets of Yerevan, eventually joining forces with Nikol Pashinyan’s “My Step” movement.

“Before the revolution, if you cared about your country, you had to either join an NGO, or create your own,” explains Ghazaryan.

Now, the civic activists and journalists who drove the momentum last spring are hoping to make real legislative changes in office.

Chakhoyan had not expected to make it in the ranks within her own party. “I thought I would be the only member who would vote for myself as a candidate. But then I received 73 votes,” she laughs.

Ghazaryan, too, is her party’s fifteenth female choice in a list of 183 candidates.  At 25, she could be the youngest women elected to Armenian parliament.

More women running for public office

Still, a lack of adequate female representation across most every political party in the upcoming election is concerning.According to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia, at least 25% of each party’s proportional list must be composed of women. Most of the parties this December have lists of no more than 30% women.

Nonetheless, the landscape of female participation in Armenian elections is perhaps changing. In the previous administration, women’s participation in parliament was met with a sense of a lack of purpose and stemmed from high-level politicians that sought to merely fulfill quota requirements. 

“I hope that soon, no one will be artificially added to the list of parliamentarians,” says Ghazaryan.

“I can hardly recall the female members of parliament in our former legislative government. They didn’t speak up and they had didn’t have any message to send,” she recalls.

“But If you look at the qualifications of the women running in this election, you’ll see that they have dreams, goals, and aims to really change Armenia.”

Is legislation enough to ensure greater participation of women in politics?

There have been calls for more female representation in parliament, especially in the midst of what some are describing as a painful awakening for activists in Armenia. Last January, Armenian legislators were able to successfully criminalize domestic violence in what appeared to be a massive victory in the fight for women’s rights.  However, Kristine Iskandaryan’s tragic death last month is a reminder of the inequality still heavily embodied in a highly-patriarchal society. The 20-year old was brutally beaten by her husband, Illarion Nanushyan, and brought to the hospital unconscious. Nanushyan was only arrested the following day, after his wife’s death, despite his confession of the incident the night before.

In an official statement, The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, criticized the response of officers at the scene and remarked that this incident represented “the state's failure to fulfill its obligation to protect women.” After all, if Iskandaryan had survived, would this crime go unpunished?

But for many activists, the laws are already in place. It’s now up to both law enforcement and members of society to ensure they are upheld.

“We need changes to not only the justice system, but cultural thought,” says Ghazaryan.

“It doesn’t matter how many laws are introduced if we can’t we can’t shape the perceptions of the people,” explains Chakhoyan.

What women can bring to the table

 “A higher representation of women in parliament can change the mentality of both Armenian men and women,”  says Ghazaryan. “We can show people that Armenian women arecapable of success in the workplace.”

“The women that care about gender equality and want to take a stand against domestic violence can use a public platform, like parliament, to share their experiences and speak up about their problems without being ashamed,” says Ghazaryan.

Top photo (from left): Mariam Chakhoyan, Sona Ghazaryan

Martina Kardashian-Sieger

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