Another Year, Another March to Stop Violence Against Women in Armenia (VIDEO)

The 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Violence international campaign kicked off in Armenia today with a march in the capital, Yerevan. The march, organized by the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women in Armenia, aimed not only to raise awareness on domestic violence in the country, but also to push for adoption of a law on domestic violence.

March participants distributed information leaflets to passers-by, while holding signs in Armenian that read "We have the right for respect not abuse", "It's a shame to beat another. That is the mark of a weak man", "A real man doesn't hit a woman", and "Violence is not love".

According to the women's rights NGOs participating in the march, four women have died in Armenia as a result of violence this year alone. And those are only the known cases, as women who endure abuse are often forced to remain silent about it and adhere to the stereotypes inherent in society. March organizers are confident that the situation would change if the Armenian government declared that there is a problem of domestic violence in the country and adopts the law.

The draft law was developed by the Women's Rights Center, one of the NGO members of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women. It was sent by the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for review, and then rejected. The Coalition is once again working on the law. 

Though the march to stop violence against women in the past has sometimes been a silent march, this year marchers were chanting slogans and beating on drums as they walked from Abovyan Street to Northern Avenue to Baghramyan Avenue, finally reaching the National Assembly building, where they attached to the gates their written demands to adopt the law.

Update: According to Women's Resource Center of Armenia Executive Director Lara Aharonian, the Coalition is reviewing the aspects of the draft law that the RA Ministry of Justice deemed anti-constitutional. The Coalition will either resubmit the bill to the government or lobby lawmakers to introduce the bill in parliament. Aharonian said while the Coalition's lawyers are working on amending the law, the Coalition is also exploring other options.