YEREVAN (Jam News) — On November 25, Yerevan marked the start of a 16-day campaign aimed at combating gender-based violence, with various events planned throughout Armenia.
The opening event featured a discussion titled “Achievements, Needs, and Effective Partnerships to Combat Gender-Based Violence in Armenia.” Labor and Social Affairs Minister Narek Mkrtchyan participated, highlighting that gender-based violence not only infringes on fundamental human rights but also destabilizes families and society, leaving a damaging legacy for future generations.
The campaign, initiated in 1991 by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University in the United States, is known as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, emphasized the global scale of the issue, noting that one in three people worldwide experiences violence. He stressed that violence is not a private matter but a societal challenge:
“A society cannot prosper or progress when more than half its population faces violence, discrimination, or inequality.”
In Armenia, around 10 women are killed each year by their husbands, former spouses, or partners. Alarmingly, only 12 percent of women who experience physical or sexual violence seek help, underscoring the persistent culture of silence surrounding the issue.
