Back When women's rights and minority rights overlap: Armenia's Human Rights Defender brings the two together

When women's rights and minority rights overlap: Armenia's Human Rights Defender brings the two together

Women and persons from national minority communities, often face discrimination for overlapping reasons and the challenges get harder to address when they're treated as separate issues. To look at this more closely, Armenia's Human Rights Defender's Office brought together two of its advisory groups: one focused on national minority rights and one focused on women's rights. The goal was to explore where these issues intersect and find better ways to protect those affected by both forms of discrimination.

The Council of Europe supported the event through its local project on equality and non-discrimination in Armenia, helping guide the discussion using European standards as a reference point.

Building on earlier meetings, the joint session gave participants a chance to look at ongoing problems and consider next steps to better protect groups at risk of discrimination. Two topics got special attention: protecting minority languages and getting more women into political life and decision-making roles.

The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Maxime Longangué, underlined the rich set of standards and recommendations by the Organisation in the field of gender equality, the combat of racism and intolerance and promotion and protection of rights of national minorities and minority languages.

The sessions helped civil society representatives learn more about these standards. Participants discussed difficult issues affecting Armenian society, such as child and forced marriage, bride kidnapping and sex-selective abortion, as well as the obstacles that stop victims from reporting these problems. They also discussed how language barriers can limit access to education, rights and general awareness for minority communities.

The meeting concluded with a shared recognition of the follow-up need to organise working-level meetings with civil society groups from minority communities to hear needs and develop appropriate measures in response.

This event was organised as part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the regional project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination in Armenia.”

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 15 SEPTEMBER 2026
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

This project seeks to further support national stakeholders and partners providing in-depth knowledge and stimulating their cooperation and networking, towards better responses to discrimination and hatred. It will reinforce national remedies against hate speech, continue the work initiated with state institutions to respond to discrimination and hate crime in line with national reforms and work with non-state stakeholders and local institutions to improve their understanding of equality and diversity, better reaching out victims from vulnerable groups. Its synergy with the regional action will also feed into expected results, encouraging regional networking and creating platform for mutual understanding and exchange of the best practices.

Its aim is to improve the functioning of the state and non-state institutions to combat discrimination, hatred, and racism in line with the European standards.

This project is implemented within the third Phase of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance” running from 2023 until 2027. It builds on the results of the previous phases of the Partnership for Good Governance in the field of promoting equality and non-discrimination (Phase I 2015-2018 and Phase II 2019-2023).

What is the project duration?

The project runs from 1 March 2023 to 28 February 2026.

What is the budget of the project?

► The total project budget is EUR 300 000.
► The overall Programme budget is EUR 19.3 M (80% is co-funded by the European Union and 20% by the Council of Europe).

Who benefits from the project?

 

     ► Ministry of Justice

►  Prosecutor General’s Office

►  Court of Cassation

►  Supreme Judicial Council

       ► Civil Society Organizations

       ► general public. 

How does the project work?

Through a combination of tailored policy/legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising actions.

What do we expect to achieve?

► The legislative framework to combat discrimination, hatred, and racism in Armenia is in line with European standards.
► State institutions and the Human Rights Defender's Office improve their understanding on discrimination and hate speech in line with the European standards.
► State institutions and law enforcement bodies improve their responses to combating discrimination and hatred under their mandate.
► The general public in Armenia raises awareness of the negative effects posed by discrimination and hatred.

How to get more information?

► The Project is implemented by the Anti-discrimination Cooperation Unit, in the Council of Europe’s Anti-Discrimination Department (Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity, DG II).
► Partnership for Good Governance
Website:  http://partnership-governance-eu.coe.int/
email: [email protected] 
► Council of Europe Office in Yerevan Website: https://www.coe.int/yerevan
email: [email protected] 

 

 

All Different = All Equal TEDx Yerevan Talk

All Different = All Equal.

At TEDxYerevanSalon 2026, we explored a world shaped by diverse cultures, perspectives, behaviours, and lived experiences, where equality cannot depend on uniformity of background, belief, ability, gender, or identity.

This edition called for strengthening Armenia’s collective understanding of human rights, fairness, and shared responsibility, moving beyond passive tolerance and reinterpreting traditions through the lens of human dignity, equality and the rule of law.

Speakers from different fields came together to show how valuing diversity can strengthen communities and shape a more equitable future.

 

 

On April 22nd, Minister of Justice, Srbuhi Galyan reflected on how real change begins when women stop being the exception and become the norm.

When systems are shaped around fairness, merit, collaboration, and the freedom to choose, equality becomes not an aspiration, but a reality.

 

Schools and universities as spaces for identity preservation. This is the perspective the Deputy Chair of the National Assembly Standing Committe on Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs, Rustam Bakoyan brought to the event.

Cultural identity cannot survive on heritage alone. It requires accessible education, especially language, to remain alive and meaningful across generations.

 

 

Behind Armenia’s deserved growth lies an untapped resource: the talent, energy, and potential of people the system may be leaving behind.

On the TEDxYerevanSalon stage, the Deputy Head of the Political, Press and Information Section of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Tomasz Ostropolski made the case that human rights aren't just a moral luxury, but the most practical strategy for building the safe and prosperous country we all aspire to.

 

At TEDxYerevanSalon, President of Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities NGO Anush Aslanyan shared a story of finding independence not in isolation, but in the quiet, persistent choice to show up as yourself.

And this choice doesn’t just set you free. It slowly transforms the people around you, making the world a little more inclusive, one small shift at a time.


 

What is the Partnership for Good Governance?

The “Partnership for Good Governance” (PGG) is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe for strengthening good governance in the Eastern Partnership region*. The "Partnership for Good Governance" provides tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. It supports, in particular, Eastern Partnership countries’ domestic reforms to strengthen justice, counter economic crime, promote equality and non-discrimination, advance women’s access to justice and combat violence against women.

* While the Partnership for Good Governance does not include activities with the participation of the Belarusian authorities, activities may be organised with the representatives of Belarusian civil society and democratic forces as appropriate in line with the European Council Conclusions of February 2022 and the Decision of the Council of Europe Ministers’ Deputies of March 2022.