AND THEN THERE WERE TWO...DWINDLING NUMBER OF

UNCLAS YEREVAN 002007

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR DRL AND EUR/CACEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AM
SUBJECT: AND THEN THERE WERE TWO...DWINDLING NUMBER OF
WOMEN IN THE GOAM


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

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DEPMIN'S DISMISSAL: FROM BAD TO WORSE
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2. (SBU) On November 8 the GOAM announced the removal
of Lilit Asatryan as Deputy Minister of Culture and
Youth Affairs, leaving only two women in deputy
ministerial positions. Following Asatryan's removal,
women fill only two of the 78 ministerial and deputy
ministerial seats in the government. Although the GOAM
is quick to cite its April 2004 National Action Plan on
Improving the Status of Women and Enhancing their Role
in the Society, an Armenian woman has not filled a
cabinet-level position for over two years. Women
constitute a mere nine percent in the National Assembly
(7 of 131). Only one of these MPs, Hranoush Hakobyan,
was elected in a single-mandate district with its
attendant considerable independent political clout.
Critics, including local and international NGOs, argue
convincingly that women played a greater role in
national and local government during Armenia's
unlamented Soviet era.

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GOAM SLOW TO TAKE MEASURES
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3. (SBU) Jemma Hasratsyan, President of the Association
of Women with a University Education, blames the
current situation on the lack of a genuine government
policy on women and the absence of proven mechanisms to
ensure women's participation in the decision-making
process. Eleanora Virabyan, a specialist from the
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (the state body in
charge of the GOAM's action plan on women),told us
that the Ministry was concerned about the low level of
women's representation in the GOAM, particularly in
light of the November 8 announcement. According to
Virabyan, the Ministry had submitted a plan to the
Prime Minister aimed at remedying the situation. One
measure was a draft "Law on Ensuring the Creation of
Equal Conditions for Men and Women" that would address
the issue of impediments to women who seek to enter
government service through appointments or elections.

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COMMENT
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4. (SBU) Despite the fact that high-profile Armenian
women lead dozens of NGOs and international
organizations and that women make-up the majority of
the GOAM's civil service, the GOAM lags behind even
Armenia's admittedly restrictive cultural norms
regarding gender roles. The GOAM has an opportunity,
however, to take a hard look at the implementation of
its action plans affecting women in government,
acknowledge the absence of women in high-level GOAM
positions, and identify ways to genuinely encourage the
full participation of all members of Armenian society
in political life.
EVANS