The meeting of the Public Council on Women's Rights adjunct to the Human Rights Defender was held in Aragatsotn marz on June 14. It brought together stakeholders from state, public, and international institutions to discuss current achievements, identify challenges in the field, and establish an agenda for future collaborative actions.

In her welcoming speech, Tsovinar Harutyunyan, the head of the office of UNFPA Armenia, emphasized the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders. She noted that overcoming the challenges in this field and ensuring progress can only be achieved through joint efforts, dedication, and readiness.

Defender Anahit Manasyan welcomed the attendees and highlighted that this event provides another opportunity to emphasize the importance of promoting and protecting women's rights, as well as to discuss joint efforts in that direction. Additionally, she stressed the fact that it is importat to organise the events in regions of Armenia.

"The Public Council's tasks include supporting the Defender in ensuring gender equality, promoting women’s political participation, combating gender based violence and domestic violence, enhancing the efficiency of women's rights protection, and identifying problems and gaps by proposing legislative solutions. Important issues have already been discussed within the framework of our work, and foundations for effective cooperation have been established," stated the Defender in her opening speech.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan and Aragatsotn Marz Governor Sergey Movsisyan also delivered welcome speeches, highlighting the role of Council in women empowerment, fostering economic growth, ensuring equal opportunities for women and men, promoting political participation, and preventing violence against women and gender-based violence.

Within the the meeting ia panel discussions were made where the progress made following the first session of the council was summarized, community-reported challenges were collected, and details of the joint initiative of the UNFPA and the HRDO regarding addressing and resolving reproductive health problems faced by women in closed institutions were presented.

Several non-governmental organizations participating in the council raised sector-specific issues, such as the need for measures to combat domestic violence, the importance of women's participation in peace-building processes, as well the need of overcoming gender based discrimination and social stereotypes.

The meeting of the Public Council on Women's Rights adjunct to the Human Rights Defender was held within the framework of "Accountable Institutions and Human Rights Protection in Armenia" project. The project is financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and the OSCE.