In 2017, Armenia passed a new law on domestic violence. The law’s passage through Armenia’s National Assembly was marked by heated disputes between women’s rights advocates and supporters of the “traditional family”. The influence of conservative groups was even reflected in the law’s name: “On the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection of Victims of Violence and Restoration of Peace in the Family”.
Two years on, the issue of gender equality has resurfaced, as Armenia may decide to ratify the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe convention against gender-based violence. Armenia signed the Convention in 2018 - under the regime of president Serzh Sargsyan, who resigned amidst mass protests in 2019 - but has not yet ratified it.
Here, Zara Hovhannisyan, a journalist, human rights activist and member of Armenia’s Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, talks about the origins of Armenia’s domestic violence law - and the reality of its implementation.
