Armenian Mother As the Keeper of the Armenian Gene: Women In Armenian Political Discourse

The perceptions over women’s status, roles are still very contradictory in modern Armenian society. There is no common understanding over women's issues in public discourse. On the one side the issues of women ‘emancipation’, activities for promotion of self-realization, empowerment of their civic, economic and political participation are points of formal policy agenda. Meanwhile, more traditional roles are attributed to women in the context of the “Traditional Armenian family” concept in the public perceptions, writes researcher Ruzanna Tsaturyan in her study/report entitled “Deciphering Women in Armenian Political Discourse.”

“The image of women can be variable in political discourse due to political situation and the need to address particular problems. It can be stirred in certain situations such as elections, other significant political events. As an example the recent debates over the term ‘gender’ in the approved Law on ‘Equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women’ could be presented when public discourse directed the political debates and affected the approaches and arguments of policy makers,” Tsaturyan writes.

Meanwhile, according to the researcher, the cultural and value oriented aspects should be taken into consideration as well. In the situation of economic crisis, high level of poverty, unemployment and migration, family is perceived as a lifebuoy in Armenian society. In these perceptions ‘traditional Armenian family’, ‘Armenian women’ are attributed by very specific and responsible roles for preserving and transmitting traditional Armenian values and behavioral norms.

“The results of various researches and data on the lack of women’s political participation in Armenia indicate the existence of rooted problems in the scope of gender equality. Only 14 women (10.7%) are represented in the 5th Convocation of the National Assembly although 20 percent quota is set for women in party lists. As it is shown in the gender assessment of last elections 'Women are mostly marginalized in the political parties and even in the policy toward women one can notice hidden discrimination'.

“As for the state policy agenda, the vocabulary provided on the official site of Ministry of labor and social affairs mentions ‘՛՛The main purpose and characteristic to determinate women as a special socio- demographic group or special category of social beneficiaries is their birth giving function'.”

Based on the findings of the study, political parties presented in the Armenian parliament are not targeting women’s issues in their charters and program documents: shortage of women agenda is common for political parties in Armenia. While identifying democratic and rights oriented aspiration in the parties’ charters, the parties’ program documents are more oriented toward need of keeping cultural norms, ethnic traditions and social order. 

This dichotomy, as Tsaturyan, emphasizes, is best formulated in the program document of the party “Prosperous Armenia”: “Despite worship of the democracy and freedom, aspirations toward promotion of development of new value system, Prosperous Armenia is supporter of keeping national and traditional values giving more importance to family, church and the state.”

The research shows that the language of public discussions over gender issues still remains very conservative and traditional. Even politicians who are in charge of adoption of the rights-oriented documents are still not properly aware of women's rights and equal gender opportunities challenges. 

Co-author of the Law on ‘Equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women’ Hovhannes Margaryan in his media interviews told that “despite all the adopted laws it is very difficult to make equal the rights for men and women. The rights of Lord and Obedient could not be equal. The lord should have other rights than the obedient. We cannot change our rooted traditions. As a patriarchal man from Gyumri I am one of the keepers of such traditions. There are many European values that are not acceptable for me, for my wife, and daughter.”

“Women in their family/reproductive roles are at the spotlight in the public speeches of politicians especially during national holidays of maternity and beauty (March 8, April 7). The official names of these holidays (March 8 as Women’s Day and April 7 as Maternity and Beauty Day) are determining the content of the public speeches. 

“It is common for politicians in Armenia to make official congratulatory messages for these holidays. The research shows that all these messages are flooded with the femininity discourse. In the 6093 words of the discussed 50 messages the word “rights” is being used only 6 times, 5 times in the public speech of Maria Titizian (member of Socialist International) during political meeting, the word “struggle’’ is being used 5 times, and the word “citizen” is being used just once. 

“Meanwhile, the most common words are beauty (75), happiness (49), warm attitude (45), care (18), and kindness (26), glorify (16), which in its turn could mention on overall content of these messages. As main beneficiaries of these congratulatory addresses the women, mothers, sisters and daughters are mentioned,” the researcher writes. 

To illustrate this, Tsaturyan gives several examples from various politicians' congratulatory speeches:

“I wish you familial warmth and success. Let the love of all the men around you – your fathers, husbands, brothers and sons – their care and dedication be sensed by you every day of the year; always stay charming and beautiful. I wish you a greater role in the state and public life of our country. Your presence and involvement positively changes the atmosphere in every area, making it kinder and more tolerant, more constructive and efficient.” (Sargsyan S., President of the Republic of Armenia, March 8, 2014)

“Dear women like a sun you are spreading warmth each day and hour thus bringing tenderness, peace and harmony everywhere.” (Khularyan A., Governor of Tavush region, March 8, 2013)

“Thanks to you, the family continues to be the planet’s warmest and most pleasant corner, and the world is becoming more and more harmonious, kind and tolerant.”  (Abrahamyan H., Head of the Parliament, March 8 2014)

''The Armenian woman, Armenian mother is the keeper of the Armenian gene and its conveyor to eternity.” (Hakobyan H., Minister of Diaspora, April 2014).