“A more caring attitude towards Vardenis, more patriotism should be shown”. women’s voice

As a result of the local elections held on December 5, 2021 in the enlarged community of Vardenis, Gegharkunik region, the mandates of the Council of Elders were distributed among three political forces. 13 out of 27 seats in the Council of Elders belong to the “Civil Contract” faction, and the other 2 factions belong to the “Aharon Khachatryan” bloc “United Vardenis” and have a total of 14 seats. The post-election passions are quite hot in Vardenis, and the uncertainty surrounding the mayoral election remains. The members of the “Civil Contract” faction had filed a lawsuit, demanding to invalidate the first session held by the opposition members of the Council of Elders on December 30, during which Aharon Khachatryan was elected mayor. The court partially upheld the lawsuit on February 2, so new mayoral elections are expected in the near future…

WomenNet.am spoke with “Aharon Khachatryan”, a coalition of women’s members of the “United Vardenis” political forces, Araksia Hayrapetyan (pictured right) and Satenik Minasyan (pictured left), who expressed hope that the situation in the municipality will finally be resolved and The Council of Elders will start its normal work. We asked them to answer a number of questions about their motives for entering politics, the election process, and what to do next. By the way, the starting point for our interlocutors to enter politics was the December 5 local elections.

Araksia Hayrapetyan is from Sotk settlement in Geghamasar enlarged community and was the third candidate on the electoral list of the opposition “United Vardenis” bloc. She is a lawyer by profession, before becoming a council member she worked as a leading social assistance specialist in the municipality of Geghamasar enlarged community. According to her, politics is “an environment of clash of different ideas, where sometimes non-ideological people win”… Advises women entering politics. “To be brave, not to be afraid to express their thoughts and ideas.”

Our other interlocutor, Satenik Minasyan, a member of the Council of Elders of the “Aharon Khachatryan” bloc, there is no one in Vardenis who does not recognize her, she is a merited doctor. The woman who gave life in medicine in 1986-1990. She was a district pediatrician. In 1990-2004 she worked as the head of the pediatric department of Vardenis hospital, deputy chief doctor. 2005 she served in the army and was the head of the therapeutic department of Vardenis garrison hospital until 2020. She has now retired from the army, but continues to work in the military hospital and Vardenis polyclinic. She has received awards and prizes during her work. She also participated in the Syrian humanitarian mission, receiving numerous medals and diplomas from Syria and Russia. The doctor, who has taken a step “from politics” to medicine, advises women who follow politics, following her example. “Whoever has a wish, let her enter.” By her definition, politics is “a way to implement programs aimed at having a better society.”

– Why did you decide to join the Council of Elders? How did you choose to cooperate with which political force?

Araksia Hayrapetyan.

• “I have entered the field of local self-government in order to make my community better. Based on my work experience in the social field, I have a good idea of ​​how to work to build a stronger, more protected community. I also set myself the task of focusing on the protection of women’s rights. It is no secret that the most important task in rural areas, including our community, is to provide women with jobs. Women are mainly engaged in housework and do not have an alternative job. I have entered politics, I have taken responsibility, I am ready to defend the rights of women with all my senses.

Satenik Minasyan.

  – I decided to enter the Council of Elders because I had a clear idea of what I was going to do. I’m more interested in community issues, I’m more inclined to solve them than to get involved in politics. Therefore, politics is a way to implement my plans. With this in mind, I joined the Aharon Khachatryan bloc, as the members of this team shared my ideological views.

– With what community development programs did you enter the Vardenis Council of Elders?

Araksia Hayrapetyan.

– Since the voters are the same residents with whom I have been working as a social worker for about a year, the stage of building a relationship has passed before the elections. I cannot fail to mention that I have the closest ties with them, I am familiar with the problem of each resident of our community, one by one. Our main task is to prevent emigration, to do everything so that the locals do not emigrate due to lack of infrastructure.

Satenik Minasyan.

– I think that as a result of hard work, many community development programs can be implemented. More caring attitude towards Vardenis, more patriotism should be shown. As a doctor, I have worked in this field for many years, so my work and plans are aimed at solving health problems. At the same time, security issues should not be subordinated.

• What obstacles have you encountered in entering politics? What do you think is the role of women in politics?

Araksia Hayrapetyan.

– There have been obstacles. These are various rumors that have a psychological effect. The obstacle is the stereotype that politics is not a woman’s place and that I absolutely do not agree with it. If any field will become stronger with the presence of a woman, why not use that potential, because the goal of all of us is to improve our country and make it better.

Satenik Minasyan.

– Personally, I have not been discriminated against, I have not gone through obstacles during the elections, but if there are obstacles during my work, I am ready to face them without losing my personal qualities. I want to state that women play a more restraining role in the Council of Elders. Unfortunately, our council meetings take place in a non-peaceful atmosphere, sometimes under insults, and if women are not there, the case will get to the fists. They are restrained from the presence of women. I attach great importance to the presence of women in community life, in local government, because a woman approaches the community as she does her family with love, devotion, and a desire to make something better. Women do not have jobs in our community, my plans are to create jobs. Women have to work, because work, in a sense, also creates a worldview, raises the level of development.

Liana Sargsyan

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