No Need to Focus on Women Since All Human Rights are Violated in Armenia: Female MP

The importance and role of women in Armenian society is not a political but a civilized, cultural issue, said Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) parliamentary faction member Lilit Galstian at a press conference in Yerevan today.

In her opinion, the inclusion of women in politics only enriches a country; however, according to her, in Armenia, there shouldn’t be a focus only on women’s rights, since “human rights in general are violated.”

“Our Aryan culture doesn’t create space for self-realization also for men. A type of eastern clan philosophy reigns here [in Armenia]. A large portion of political parties have long been clubs of interests.

“A majority of Armenian men, who have positions in legislative and executive bodies, have failed. It would be good if women had the opportunity to use the genome of serving their homeland,” she said, adding that included in the amendments to Armenia’s Electoral Code proposed by ARF-D and the Heritage Party was a 30% quote of female members of parliament.

Social Democrat Hunchukian Party leader Lyudmila Sargsyan, in turn, believes that there will be more women in parliament. According to her, the importance of women has to be so valued that their presence in parliament isn’t because quotas have to be met.

“Human rights, of course, are not protected, but women are more vulnerable in our society. But those women who leave their kitchens and fight for their rights achieve success. To prove the right to be a leader is a daily struggle for women. When we live in a country of absurds, a woman’s role is more important,” she said.

Photo: economics.kiev.ua