Breaking Down Stereotypes: a photo a day from the parliament

On the photo is the member of the parliament Zaruhi Postanjyan at the meeting of NA’s Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs held yesterday, which lasted four and a half hours. During this time, the child, whom she had brought with her peacefully fell asleep in her arms…

Meanwhile, the commission was discussing the agenda of the National Assembly’s spring session…

I recalled at least two quotes that are relevant to the observed situation.
“When the Swedish women came to the parliament, they demanded to open something like a kindergarten, where they could leave their children during the sessions. It turned out that even with infants, women were able to effectively work in the parliament. In addition, women achieved fixed working hours for the parliament – from 9 to 18. And that means: less smoking breaks, less jokes and more active legislative activities…”

From an interview with a doctor of Political Sciences

Svetlna Ayvasova

“Newsrooms that produces the news is huge. Tables are not separated; people are gathered together here and there discussing something. It is quite a familiar workflow. But here are some small details- flowers in pots and vases with fruit on the desks (as it turned out, at the expense of the company), as well as a place where you can pour free coffee from the machine.

 
So the first surprise. I regret not taking a photo. A man walked passed us with a stroller, where a baby was peacefully sleeping, and proceeded to his working place. Nobody in the hall reacted to this, except for our Russian delegation.

“Very often mothers and fathers come to work with their children, if they have nowhere to leave them,- told us the chief editor of news STV Judith’s Eck. Everyone is so used to it, that nobody pays  attention…”

From the article by Svetlana Svistunova

“The gender question on the Swedish television”

Note that the habit of taking your children everywhere is also a distinguishing feature of the American way of life. Children behave themselves quite naturally: they sleep, play, cry, but it doesn’t surprise or even annoy anyone, as it at times happens in Armenian reality. All public places and even universities have places where you can change and feed the baby. They can offer to entertain your kid in many restaurants.

Thus, everything is done so that young parents have the opportunity not only to make purchases or engage in business, but also to relax together with their child.

We note that all this is only one of those preconditions, necessary for women with young children to be able to live full lives and successfully combine family and career.

Enzella Makaryan

Photo by Lia  Hodzhoyan