NGO’s message on expanding women’s political participation

Connected with the initiative of MP Edmon Maruqyan on ensuring women’s political participation by law which was published recently, let’s recall that in May of this year a few NGOs had issued messages on the same issue.

In particular, for the purpose of ensuring women’s and men’s balanced representation in NA and local self-governmental bodies in the message it was proposed to rewrite the 2d paragraph of 108^th article of RA Electoral Code in the following way:

According to proportional electoral system of the National Assembly, representation of one sex in the list of the party should not exceed 70%, moreover, the sequence difference between male and female nominated candidates should not exceed three places.

-In case of withdrawing a woman from a list or refusal from the mandate, her place should take another woman represented in the list”.

Let’s note that the message adopted during the forum “Overcoming discrimination against women and expanding women’s political participation as a prerequisite for sustainable development” held in May of this year, during which Association of Women with  University Education presented to the public the alternative report on implementation of UN Convention Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)>

The Forum was also remarkable for the fact that as its result a message was passed on making changes and amendments in RA Electoral Code for ensuring balanced representation of women and men in the National Assembly and local self-governmental bodies.

Full text in Armenian