Gender Dimension of Participation Examined Yerevan, 30 March 2011 - Today, UNFPA Armenia officially presented the results of the sociological study on “Gender Dimension of Civic and Political Participation in Armenia” conducted within the framework of UNFPA “Combating Gender-Based Violence in the South Caucasus” project by the ««Caucasus» Sociological Research Center» NGO. The event was attended by the representatives of the government authorities working in the field of women’s rights and gender issues, international organizations, political parties, foreign and local NGOs, and mass media. The purpose of the study was to explore comparative characteristics and dynamics of women’s and men’s participation in socio-political processes, to identify social, economic, political, educational, psychological and other factors that promote or impede women’s full-pledged participation in those process. At the opening of the event Ms. Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, UNFPA Representative welcomed the audience. She stressed that around the world including Armenia there is a lack of gender balance in decision-making positions including national parliaments, government ministers, elected Heads of State and Heads of Government. Following Ms. Gercheva’s speech, the major findings and recommendations of the study were presented by Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, President of the “Caucasus” NGO, and Ms. Lilit Zakaryan and Vladimir Osipov, gender experts, who conducted the study. The experts also presented a set of recommendations with view to enhancing civic and political participation of women and closing the existing gender gap. Each of the presentations was followed by Q&A short sessions that allowed the participants to share their opinions and to direct questions to the experts. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

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