Let’s put an end to violence against women and girls leaving no one behind

Today, the event held at the Matenadaran, announced the launch of the 16-day global campaign against gender violence in Armenia. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Let’s put an end to violence against women and girls leaving no one behind”. Campaign starts on November 25^th (Day of elimination of violence against women) and ends on December 10^th (Human Rights Day).

The opening ceremony was attended by the UN Office in Armenia, the European Union Delegation, and the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, the Ambassadors of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly Arpine Hovhannisyan, Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan.

“The phenomenon of violence against women and girls, unfortunately, continues to be maintained throughout the world, and Armenia is not free from this,” said UN Resident Coordinator Bradley Busetto.

According to him, violence against women and girls is an extreme manifestation of gender inequality, which results in women and girls being deprived of their rights and equal opportunities to participate in social, economic and political spheres.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Armenia, Mathias Kisler, also presented his country’s experience in detail, noting that in Germany there is a serious problem of violence against women, and debates started in the 1970s.

It should be noted that at the end of the event representatives of international organizations and embassies accredited in Armenia issued a joint statement, which can be found here.

Full text in Armenian