Note 1 The Blueprint of the Council of Europe Campaign recommends a ratio for one place in a woman’s shelter per 7.500 inhabitants.
Report of the Republic of Armenia on the Campaign Combating Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence
The modern concept of human development, new types and standards of public society bring forward the issue of women’s freedom and its comprehensive development. The 20-th century is marked by radical changes in the position and role of women in the society. At present in Armenia principally new and urgent problems, without which further progress and sustainable development of the society is impossible, are brought to the attention of the public.
After acquisition of freedom the first adopted strategic program, which indicated the main directions of the sate policy regarding women was the RA Government “National Program on Improving the Status of Women and Enhancing their Role in the Society in the Republic of Armenia for 1998-2000” /26.06.1998/, which was followed by the “National Program on Improving the Status of Women and Enhancing their Role in the Society in the Republic of Armenia for 2004-2010”.
These two documents are aimed at ensuring women’s rights, fundamental freedoms and guarantees of their participation in the state governing bodies and protection of motherhood and child health in the Republic of Armenia. In the abovementioned strategic programs the problem of combating violence against women in the country is presented in separate chapters, where the issues of legislative reforms, introduction of corresponding assistance and prevention mechanisms are mentioned. As far as national legislation on violence is concerned, it should be noted that this field is regulated by a number of legal acts, in particular by the RA Criminal Code, in which violence according to sex of the victim is not differentiated. Each act of violence is punished criminally, irrespective of the fact whether it takes place in family or not. Offences associated with violence, which can take place also in family are listed below:
Murder of a new born baby by the mother
Making suicide
Deliberately harming health
Beating, torture, abuse, rape, actions of sexual nature
Threatening murder, harming health or property damage etc.
In 2005 the RA Law “About Social Assistance” was adopted, which specifies types, duration and mechanisms of assistance provided by the state to victims of violence.
In 2008 activities aimed at social protection of victims of violence and its prevention were added to the regulatory issues of the RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues.
Inspite of the abovementioned legal acts in accordance with the results of legislative expert examination on gender implemented by the Ministry, at present the RA Law “About Domestic Violence” is being drafted by a corresponding intergovernmental task force.
As far as protection and support victims of violence is concerned, we can say that Armenia does not have the long experience of the USA, Canada and a number of European countries in the spheres of combating violence and supporting women victims of violence yet. Although from 2001 activities (financed by World Learning) started on the initiative of NGOs have being continued and developed till now, though not with the whole scale.
So, two NGOs in Yerevan (Maternity Fund of Armenia, Center of Women’s Rights) and three organizations in regions (Martuni, Gyumri, Eghegnatsor) launched “hot line” to support women victims of violence, providing legal and psychological consultations. In 2002-2004 with the USAID financial support four NGOs started to work with an enlarged program in which prevention of domestic violence and corresponding support in line with the “hot line” also included shelters for victims of violence. The mentioned organizations carried out their support projects mainly with the help of applying classic models based on international experience.
Only Maternity Fund of Armenia approached the solution of the problem in a unique way and for the effective functioning of its “Hope” critical center it developed national model, based on classic western models but adopted to national peculiarities. It included two territorially divided, but at the same time closely interconnected departments - rehabilitation center (shelter) “Mother and Child Home” and ”Family Center”. In the framework of the “Family Center” the following services are still available:
· “hot line” trust phone by which annually in average 271 psychological, 357 legal and 192 social consultations were provided,
· Personal consulting services with which annually in average 466 legal (5 civil cases were defended in court by lawyers) in one year, 1792 psychological, 439 medical, 672 social consultations and 140 family sessions were hold with participations all family members.
In the framework of the “Family Center” there were also information-analytical and information-educational programs (for public and specialists: policemen, doctors, social workers).
The services of the “Family Center” have being carried out by now.
“Mother and Child Home” (shelter for victims of domestic violence) was planned for simultaneous residing of 12 victims of domestic violence, during their temporary residence they were provided with everyday maintenance, safety, professional support (psychologist, doctor, lawyer, social worker, pedagogue). During the period of two years 106 victims of violence used the services of the temporary shelter.
In the framework of 2009-2011 Middle term expenditure programs of the RA Government on the principle of the mentioned model state program “Establishment of Critical Centers for victims of violence” will be implemented, which is aimed at protection of women’s interests through provision of comprehensive support.
At present 3 “hot lines” function in Armenia (Maternity Center of Armenia, Center of Women Rights - in Yerevan, NGO “Supporter” - in Guymri) and one Family Critical Center (Maternity Center of Armenia).
In regard to collection of statistical data on victims of violence, we should note the following:
By 2006 different NGOs have implemented surveys on eliciting the phenomenon of violence against women in the country.
In 2006-2007 on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues with participation of the State Statistical Center and NGOs 3 surveys were carried out which address violence against women in the family and in the work place. They provide with an opportunity to carry out legislative reforms and in the coming years we will not only have a new law but also mechanisms for collection of state statistic data will be developed.
The RA Government joined the Council of Europe Campaign “Stop Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence”. In this respect responsible persons for the Campaign were appointed from the RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues: Deputy Head of Family, Women and Children Issues Department and Head of Women Issues Division A. Tanashyan – as High Level Official and Head of International Relations Division A. Martirosyan – as National Focal Point. They designed an Action Plan, which was approved by the Minister of Labour and Social Issues. It includes a number of measures.
1. Organization of meetings with international, NGO sectors and interested organizations,
2. Collection, translation, multiplication dissemination of materials,
3. Publication, dissemination of brochures, posters and placing them in the corresponding web site
4. Organization of a conference with participation of international experts,
5. Carrying out study aimed at eliciting the phenomenon of violence against women, including domestic violence in the country with the purpose of collecting information on the spread of the phenomenon in all regions of the country, types and rates, number of victims (according to territorial groups, social status, education, profession) and their further life (services available in the country) and analyzing those indicators.
6. Implementation of reforms in the legislative field connected with the sphere of violence, including domestic violence (study of international documents and national legislature, comparative analysis and development of support package addressing legislative reforms),
7. Through organization of discussions on the issue of violence against women contribute to strengthening of partnership relations and dialogue between governing bodies and public society.
In the direction of all the abovementioned measures corresponding steps were taken. Round table discussions with participation of interested bodies, specialists, NGOs, mass media were held in the capital and in all regions of Armenia. During those meetings participants were provided with corresponding materials: brochures, notepads, posters, bookmarks, etc. Round table discussions in regions provide with an opportunity to carry out need assessment, for which corresponding questionnaire was designed. It will contribute to the development of state policy and implementation of relevant projects.
In the framework of the campaign activities a survey aimed at eliciting the phenomenon of violence against women in the country was carried out. Activities addressing reforms of the legislative field connected with violence against women have started.
On the 20-th of May, 2008 it is planed to held an international conference devoted to family, women and children issues, during which the results of the campaign will also be summarized.
A number of international organizations supported the campaign: UNDP, UNFPA, OSCE, TSG and Armenian Branch of Support fund of Open Society Institute.
Thematic areas of the Blueprint
1. Legal and policy measures
There has been no changes in Andorra legislation in order to prevent violence against women, protect the victim and punish the perpetrator.
2. Support and protection for victims
In 2006 the Government of Andorra created an interdisciplinary support team for women victims of domestic violence (IEAD) composed by 1 coordinator, 1 social worker, 1 psychologist, 2 social educators and 1 jurist.
These professionals give social and economical support, counselling and follow up, legal and laboural orientation to women who have suffered domestic violence and to her children. For the year 2007, 92 women have been attended with an average of 2 children.
It was set up too a domestic violence free hotline . It has recibed a total of 1844 calls for the year 2007. These calls were basically oriented to demand information about the team services, to get in touch with the specialized professionals and to improve coordination between professionals of other institutions and the (IEAD).
In 2007 it was started a programme to improve laboural skills and to guarantee minimum incomes and the benefits of the Social Segurity to women who have suffered domestic violence. A total of 11 women are participating nowadays improving:
- their social abilities,
- their knowledge about the national labour law, the health system, the social security system and the national and local services and social aids (wich/how to get them)
- their professional skills and knowledge with professional training in order to facilitate their integration in labour market in better conditions.
Nowadays the Government is revising the financial aid/assistance regulation to create specific economical aids to women who have suffered domestic violence and to her children with specific and more flexible mandatory requirements. As well as, for this year, 2 types of therapeutycal group are been setting up: one address to get their self-steem back and another address to recover the maternal/ child bonding.
3. Data collection
Nowadays the Andorran Government in collaboration with the Andorran Institute of studies is designing the domestic violence observatory included in the social observatory of the Ministry of Health, Welfare, Family and the Housing.
4. Awareness Raising
The campaigns (2006-2007) aims and objectives were the following
- Global goals:
à To sensitise Andorra population about gender violence
à To increase professional sensibility, capability and acknowledgments about gender violence, and in particular domestic violence
- Specific goals:
à To promote social values based in tolerance 0 towards gender violence
à To inform population in general and victims in particular about professional aid, help resources and how to get them
à To increase diffusion of the information about the problematic about domestic violence, in particular, breaking social stereotypes and myths.
à To increase the reports and formal complaints of domestic violence situations to the police and to the justice.
1. Workshops of prevention of abusive conducts based on the ground of gender between teenagers
- 2006: 250 teenagers (15-16 years old) have participated in workshops of prevention of abusive conducts based on the ground of gender.
- 2007: This year, the development of the workshops of prevention of abusive conducts based on the ground of gender between teenagers was based on the Council of Europe campaign to combate violence against women, included domestic violence. More than 500 young people have participated in the elaboration of a declaration showing their contempt for the violence against women. This declaration with the Council of Europe campaign was the main content for the commemoration of the November, 25th.
2. Commemoration of the November, 25th.
- 2006à Don’t wait longer: reporting maltreatments in time can change your life
Diffusion of information material about domestic violence addressed to schools, hospital, primary attention centres, lawyers, police, law officials, comuns (city halls), commercial centres and places with a high feminised tax of workers: 50000 diptychs with information of the new interdisciplinary professional team specialized on gender violence (EAID) and 500 fashion bags for teen’s with information of the EAID and 1000 box for pens and pencils with the information of the EAID and a calendar of the year 2007
- 2007à Based on the Council of Europe campaign to combate violence against women, included domestic violence.
Diffusion of the declaration resulted of the workshops of prevention of abusive conducts based on the ground of gender between teenagers addressed to schools, hospital, primary attention centres, lawyers, police, law officials, comuns (city halls), commercial centres and places with a high feminised tax of workers. More than 37 institutions collaborated in the diffusion and more than 4.100 people have added their signature to support the campaign and the declaration.
Diffusion of 12.000 white ribbons as a sign of the contempt for the male violence against women, with a calendar of the year 2008 and the slogan and the image of the Council of Europe campaign.
3. Specialized professional training
70 police agents have participated in a specialized professional training about domestic violence and how to attend women who have suffered this type of violence.
4. Support and collaboration with the Consell General (Parlament) in the implementation of the Council of Europe campaign: Parliaments united in combating domestic violence against women.
National Plans of Action
In 2005 the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and the Family approved the national guidelines to combat domestic violence in Andorra for the period 2005-2008, this plan included the following goals:
- Global Goals:
· To promote actuations addressed to foment equal opportunities between women and men
· To fight against domestic violence, understood as an obstacle for the compliment of the facto of the women’s rights and for the women’s autonomy
- Specific Goals:
· To facilitate an integral attention to women victims of domestic violence, by means of the effective compliment of PAVD, guarantying an effective interinstitucional coordination and the reviewing of the professional interventions and the proceedings.
· To impulse supporting measures, such as: psychological, social, economical, legal guidance, labour environment or housing, addressed to recuperation processes of women victims of domestic violence
· To promote sensitising actuations and the diffusion of the information about domestic violence problematic, addressed to the whole of the Andorran population and to the professional collectives.
· To analyse domestic violence reality in the country by the means of an standardised way of collecting data used by all the social agents involved in the attention of the problematic
· To offer safe resources of housing and familial coexistence for victims of domestic violence and their children, whose personal and familial resources aren’t enough to face up to the situation
Assessment of the impact of the Council of Europe Campaign
The Task Force will partly base its assessment of the impact of the Council of Europe Campaign to combat Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence on the following indicators. Please respond by ticking on the boxes.
1. Is any and every act of violence against women criminalised in your country?
YES x NO q
- all forms of physical violence to spouses, regular or occasional partners and cohabitants
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2. Is violence committed by a partner or former partner punished more severely than violence among strangers (eg. gender based violence as such or the abuse of power will be considered an aggravating circumstance)?
YES x NO q
3. Are victims enabled to seek justice in a human manner (eg. specialised courts on domestic violence, specialised units within the police, the public prosecutor or the judiciary)?
YES x NO q
4. Does a national emergency 24/7 help-line exist free of charge for victims of domestic violence in your country?
YES x NO q
5. Have safe shelters been set up for victims of domestic violence in an adequate ratio in your member state? 1
YES q NO q
We don't have shelters. Our resources are based in the community organisation, we have 2 types of resources:
Both of them, the families and the manager of the specific accommodation and reception place are trained in emotional support and contention by a psychologist and a social worker. These professionals make the supervision of the reception of women and their children. 9 places. Whenever have been completely full we have added 3 more places |
6. Is administrative data being collected on victims of domestic violence?
YES x NO q
The Ministry of Healt, Welfare, Family and Housing and the Police |
7. Is domestic violence considered as a human rights violation to be addressed in your legal system?
YES x NO q
Note 1 The Blueprint of the Council of Europe Campaign recommends a ratio for one place in a woman’s shelter per 7.500 inhabitants. |