How female human rights defenders overcome double obstacles

Women have a great role in the protection of human rights. This may seem paradoxical, since women form a vulnerable group in our country, their rights are violated even in the family while their participation in civil society can’t be underestimated.

To understand how women manage to play an active role in the field of human rights and what difficulties and obstacles they overcome along that way, we talked to the active representatives of civil society, as well as ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan,who explains the origin of division of roles between man and woman, which is considered to be a social norm nowadays. The ethnographer says that in the traditional culture and social life there was no wide division between man and woman roles, instead, there was demarcation of the specifications.

According to Kharatyan, social isolation of women had an entirely different meaning than it has today. “Especially in the 19th century, as the pressure on Armenians was intensified by Turks, it brought women to the smaller area of contact with the outside world. It’s very likely that this was done with a more defensive purpose, but later turned into customary law. In other words, from the initial aim of defending a woman it developed into public shame and coercion.

That is the dictate of reason because of which women today are not able to fully exercise their political, economic and other fields, while women are much more active in terms of human rights. It also has its own explanation.

“The rules of the game are not so hard in field   of civic activism and in the case of mistakes the strikes won’t be so strong, that’s why women feel more comfort in it”, says activist Lena Nazaryan.

Lena noticed that the civil field was not occupied by men, it was free, and men and women were able to easily come together to establish some values. “In this case any group of men could not take place of women”.

However, it is also much easier for men than women, here.  The difference is explained by the “Women’s Resource Center” co-founder Lara Aharonyan: “Women human rights defenders face a double hurdle. Those, who are not married, are actively fighting in the civil society and is out in the street, demanding something are labeled by some as a “spoiled” women. And for a married woman the difficulty is created in the family. Woman largely take care of kids, and if they want to attend any public event, first  issue to be resolved is  to take children with a trusted person, many couples are not ready to take care of children.

Lara says that even the most active and courageous women have “security map” in their minds: “ We always think to act so not to be harmed, choose such transport that would be safe , walk with such people that will make us feel safe”. Human rights activist notes that many women leave the fighting square especially in late hours. “Few people will stay or spend the night in the street; in the case of men the danger is that police can beat them, and women are also at risk of being subjected to sexual abuse.” says Lara Aharonian.

Our other companion, who wished to remain anonymous to avoid problems with her family, tells how she was pressured by her close relatives. “After marriage, when my son was born, the situation tensed, because my responsibility and bothers had increased, and I was scolded and told; “The mother has no right to leave her child and go out for work for her fad, and now my life  has “stopped”, I am now obliged to live the life of my child and family. They say “What kind of mother you are, to leave your baby and go to work, you’re not a good mother, your husband gives you a lot of freedom, and he’s weak” and other similar psychological pressures.”

Young woman regretfully admits that because of this pressure she had to reduce her activity: “I guess, I’m tired of resisting since during the time besides the pressure from your relatives the one by the society and environment is also added. But I always try to remind myself that the human personality’s development is only possible when he\she is socially active, that is not indifferent only his poor family issues, but also actively participates in the regulation of the wider issues.

“It’s difficult for women everywhere, because decision makers are men in Armenia, women are not treated seriously,” says NGO Marina Poghosyan. She is new in the field of human rights, registered the organization last year in order to deal with citizens’ rights : “ When I entered this field, did not imagine that the pressures could be so much, even physical attacks were against me,” says Marina.

Since last year the human rights defender took up classes of boxing to defend herself. When defending the rights of one family of “Veles” social organization, Marina Poghosyan was violence by the bailiffs of the enforcement of judicial act, physical force was used against her and bodily injury caused.

“Right defenders have no security guarantees in this country, and difficulty is double for women, because we are not physically as stronger as, for example, male police officer. I understood, that apart from the law, I have to be able to defend my rights by my own fist,” ensures the organization’s president.

Women activists mention that family members, especially in stressful situations, often tried to keep them for their own security. “For example, my grandmother called and asked me not to take part in the 20th meeting, as the relations between two parties were tense in that period,” remembers Lena Nazaryan.

Activist Anna Shahnazaryan also notes, that  she hasn’t not notice a pressure by the family members as long as she is engaged civic activism. “ As soon as I started to participate in political activities or became the organizer of such events, especially from the moment when my family saw , that I also appeared under the police pressures, tried to use so – called social pressure on me.”

Anna tried to explain to her family members that already feels a lot of pressure on herself and that family should support her rather than join the army of oppressors. “ Thus ended the pressures of family, but friends, neighbors and other groups’ pressure did not end, and I  certainly did not honor them with attention, but of course that’s unpleasant.”

It’s more unpleasant for Ann, when she was urged to stay away from civil or political activity and is encouraged to marry and have children. “ It’s , of course, the  unfortunate perception for the role of women,  actually as a reproductive incubator.”

She noted that recently police are violent against women protestants as much as against men. “ There was a time when, for example, only men were arrested or beat and women got light strikes. Now is no longer this case, especially during actions against Russia , police are acting violently in their unlawful actions.”

Marina Poghosyan also states that besides the traditional ways of pressure on women human rights defenders ( e. g. criminal case against activist), there is also physical violence. “ I felt on my own skin and I know what is physical violence, when a man weighting 120 kg can literally cut off a small woman  from the ground and throw on the concrete stairs.”

The pressure is huge, but women human rights defenders have no intention to give up. “ We are always target, especially when we go out to streets to protest, when you turn drastic actions, there will always be pressure. But I do not consider myself a plant and see the events taking place around me and can’t just pay no attention to them,” says civil activist Hasmik Martirosyan.

Lena Nazaryan believes, that women can overcome obstacles, if they have a strong will and a willingness to fight. “ If women indeed take a responsibility, a commitment to do something, if they’re active, progressive, then no one can stop them.”

Her words are confirmed by the chairman of “ Veles” NGO. “ The more you’re oppressed, the more determined you turn to be, and become more convinced that you must do that job and it looks like you’re getting stronger. I believe, people who deal with woman human rights defenders, realized that we won’t  give up easily.”

Arman Gharibyan