“Between the War and Pandemic” Eyewitness Stories

Within the framework of the 65^th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations organized an online discussion on “War and Pandemic. “Eyewitness Stories” with the aim of making the voice of the civilians who went through the Artsakh war audible to the international community.

In her opening remarks, Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative to the UN Women’s Status Committee, stressed that 20 years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, women still face injustices and inequalities, especially now in the situation of pandemics and emergencies in the post-war crisis.

According to Margaryan, the current situation requires the UN to make greater efforts for the equality of women and Women for the agenda of peace and security. The ambassador noted that as a family member of the UN, Armenia has consistently spoken out against the protection of the rights of women victims of the conflict.

Victoria Cabrera-Beleza, Founder and Chair of the Global Network of Women Peacekeepers, first highlighted the 20^th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, calling it a major and significant anniversary at the United Nations.

She noted that women in the world have suffered the most from the pandemic, gender inequalities and gender-based violence have been increased. In the current situation, she emphasized the role of the civil society, emphasized their flexibility, and said that the civil society in Armenia continues to carry out peacekeeping activities.

The other participant in the discussion, American investigator, military journalist Lindsay Snell, was in Artsakh during the war. As a journalist, she covered the wars in Syria, Libya and Iraq. She joined the discussion from Baghdad.

Discussion moderator Lucy Varpetyan introduced her as a brave woman who goes to conflict zones in search of truth and justice. On behalf of herself and the Armenians, the moderator thanked the journalist for his courage.

Civilnet journalist Lika Zakaryan from Artsakh, who joined the discussion from Stepanakert, recalls her work during the war, when even moving from one place to another was dangerous under fire, there was no transport, taxi or other means of transportation, not even people on the streets. Lika was able to overcome those difficulties, sometimes combining the work of a journalist, photographer, cameraman. In those days she was in Martuni, Martakert, Hadrut.

As a woman who felt the war on her own skin, Lika Zakaryan is more interested in peacebuilding and negotiation. “We were born and live in the conflict zone, but the young people living here, people, do not want to die,” she said.

Full text in Armenia