Vladimir Osipov: “There is a positive dynamics; however the pace and scope are not yet sufficient”

Vladimir Osipov, a sociologist and PhD talk about the effectiveness of gender quota:

– I think quotas definitely worked. The dynamics is obvious in comparison to the former National Assembly. However, it would be good to think how much it is comparable to the European and worldwide tendencies. I believe that this question may only have a negative answer as in European countries the average representation of women in parliaments is 26-27%. Besides, the Electoral Code of the RA has stated 25% quota for women but women’s representation in the NA has significantly decreased due to the territorial lists. It is obvious that women lose in similar “competitions”. This is not a competition with equal conditions, and in general, I think that territorial electoral lists are remainders of the past. Nevertheless, they were used driven by specific political interests and current requirements. In a word, the gap has reduced as compared to the former NA but not to a stage to able to consider women’s representation as sufficient not only for Armenia but also for any democratic country or a state on the way to democratic reforms. Moreover, the world is progressing, and in 2015 a new benchmark 50/50 was defined within the SDGs adopted by the UN for equal representation of women and men in development processes.

Full text of Interview in Armenian