Statement by the Permanent Mission of Armenia at the High-level panel discussion commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women

25 February, 2020

I thank you, President.

The 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is yet another opportunity to commit ourselves to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls and their full and effective participation at all levels of public life. The time is ripe for more concerted action and greater prioritization of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls across all policy areas.

Our national experience reaffirms the critical role of women in the political and social life. They were at the forefront of the Velvet Revolution and the democratic transformation it launched. The number of female Members of the Parliament increased almost twofold in the National Assembly from 18 to 32 as a result of the most recent elections of 2018. Armenia adopted a gradual approach to increasing female representation at the elected bodies. The current Electoral Code prescribed 25 percent representation instead of the previous 20; a higher quota of at least 30 percent is envisaged for the next election.

Women are strong agents of change for peace and security. In this context “Women for Peace” campaign was launched in Armenia to promote reconciliation in the conflict-torn areas in our region and beyond. As this year marks the 20^th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we call for a stronger and more concerted effort at its implementation. The Government of Armenia approved its 1st National Action Plan for it a year ago.

We are also committed to contribute to our collective efforts at international level. We look forward to the upcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women which will the undertake review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

In conclusion, we congratulate the UN Women upon its 10th anniversary and recognize the catalytic role it played in mainstreaming the gender equality across the UN agenda.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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