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WOMEN'S DAY AS A CALL TO ACTION
asbarez
by Ara Khachatourian
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
March 8 is International Women's Day
There is one undeniable reality: without a woman, none of us would
be alive. So, it begs the question: Why, throughout history, have
women had to fight for equal rights? And, why, in this day and age,
are women being ill-treated and disrespected throughout the world?
Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. In fact, it is the 100th
anniversary of that designation. We pause to honor and celebrate
those who have given birth to us and their myriad accomplishments
and sacrifices in our individual and collective realities.
In addition to all the sincere good wishes to all women for a happy
women's day, there exist glaring inequities and issues that cannot be
ignored. When the celebrations wane, we must be able to take lessons
from the past to ensure that a woman's place in society is not marked
merely once a year, but it is taken into consideration in all facets
of our lives.
The plight of women in Armenia took center stage this past fall
with the gruesome murder of Zarouhi Petrossian, who was a victim of
brutal domestic violence. This unfortunate and sad reality provided
an opportunity for public discourse about the manner in which women
are being treated in Armenia. Sadly, Zarouhi's story is not unique
to Armenia, but rather a consequence of indifference and disrespect
for women and ultimately, human rights.
Even after Zarouhi emerged as the poster child for domestic violence
in Armenia, the issue of protection of women and their rights received
a somewhat muted response from political circles in Armenia. In fact,
the last few months saw cuts in government assistance to pregnant
women and the children for whom they care as mothers.
The fact that 20 years after Armenia's independence women are not
equitably represented in government, business and other circles
is a sad reality. Despite repeated pledges for democratic reforms,
the leaders, as well as the stakeholders in Armenia, have not moved
beyond the rhetoric and are unwilling to make the necessary inroads
on this critical matter.
We often boast that during the First Republic of Armenia, in 1918,
women enjoyed equal rights, including the right to vote, which was
not granted to women in the US until 1920. However, we are unable to
elevate that legacy into practice. Case in point, my own party-the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-in its 120-year history, has not had
a single woman representative on its Bureau. And, it's not for a lack
of qualified women. Women in the party have left an indelible mark
on its progression and the heroines and activists who have emerged
from the ARF ranks have left their mark on our national reality.
The Armenian Relief Society, which, last year, celebrated its 100th
anniversary as the leading Armenian women's organization, does
important work in providing assistance and humanitarian relief, but
has quite a bit of ground to cover in advancement of women's issues
in general.
And, what was the outcome of Catholicos Aram I designating 2010 as the
"Year of the Woman." Aside from several deserving community leaders
receiving accolades, were there significant inroads in the advancement
of women's issues, in this case, as perceived by the Church?
For the most part, identifying the issues and addressing
them-especially in the form of self-criticism-initiates and encourages
discourse about these issues. But the time has come to move beyond
the discussions and analyses and take definitive steps to ensure that
women's rights are protected and that women become equal shareholders.
Political discourse within the Armenian reality, be that in Armenia
or the Diaspora, must include the issue of women's rights and
participation. This is where women can make a difference and lead
the movement.
For now, however, allow me to reiterate that women should be
celebrated every day of the year. For that to become a reality,
fundamental changes in our individual attitudes and reforms in our
national collective thinking is essential and long overdue.
From: A. Papazian
asbarez
by Ara Khachatourian
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
March 8 is International Women's Day
There is one undeniable reality: without a woman, none of us would
be alive. So, it begs the question: Why, throughout history, have
women had to fight for equal rights? And, why, in this day and age,
are women being ill-treated and disrespected throughout the world?
Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. In fact, it is the 100th
anniversary of that designation. We pause to honor and celebrate
those who have given birth to us and their myriad accomplishments
and sacrifices in our individual and collective realities.
In addition to all the sincere good wishes to all women for a happy
women's day, there exist glaring inequities and issues that cannot be
ignored. When the celebrations wane, we must be able to take lessons
from the past to ensure that a woman's place in society is not marked
merely once a year, but it is taken into consideration in all facets
of our lives.
The plight of women in Armenia took center stage this past fall
with the gruesome murder of Zarouhi Petrossian, who was a victim of
brutal domestic violence. This unfortunate and sad reality provided
an opportunity for public discourse about the manner in which women
are being treated in Armenia. Sadly, Zarouhi's story is not unique
to Armenia, but rather a consequence of indifference and disrespect
for women and ultimately, human rights.
Even after Zarouhi emerged as the poster child for domestic violence
in Armenia, the issue of protection of women and their rights received
a somewhat muted response from political circles in Armenia. In fact,
the last few months saw cuts in government assistance to pregnant
women and the children for whom they care as mothers.
The fact that 20 years after Armenia's independence women are not
equitably represented in government, business and other circles
is a sad reality. Despite repeated pledges for democratic reforms,
the leaders, as well as the stakeholders in Armenia, have not moved
beyond the rhetoric and are unwilling to make the necessary inroads
on this critical matter.
We often boast that during the First Republic of Armenia, in 1918,
women enjoyed equal rights, including the right to vote, which was
not granted to women in the US until 1920. However, we are unable to
elevate that legacy into practice. Case in point, my own party-the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-in its 120-year history, has not had
a single woman representative on its Bureau. And, it's not for a lack
of qualified women. Women in the party have left an indelible mark
on its progression and the heroines and activists who have emerged
from the ARF ranks have left their mark on our national reality.
The Armenian Relief Society, which, last year, celebrated its 100th
anniversary as the leading Armenian women's organization, does
important work in providing assistance and humanitarian relief, but
has quite a bit of ground to cover in advancement of women's issues
in general.
And, what was the outcome of Catholicos Aram I designating 2010 as the
"Year of the Woman." Aside from several deserving community leaders
receiving accolades, were there significant inroads in the advancement
of women's issues, in this case, as perceived by the Church?
For the most part, identifying the issues and addressing
them-especially in the form of self-criticism-initiates and encourages
discourse about these issues. But the time has come to move beyond
the discussions and analyses and take definitive steps to ensure that
women's rights are protected and that women become equal shareholders.
Political discourse within the Armenian reality, be that in Armenia
or the Diaspora, must include the issue of women's rights and
participation. This is where women can make a difference and lead
the movement.
For now, however, allow me to reiterate that women should be
celebrated every day of the year. For that to become a reality,
fundamental changes in our individual attitudes and reforms in our
national collective thinking is essential and long overdue.
From: A. Papazian