On 22 May, the second working meeting of the NA-CSO cooperation platform was held. During the meeting, the results of the first meeting on the issues of women’s labor rights were summed up. Proposals on making amendments to the RA Law “On Local Self-Government” in terms of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men were discussed as well.
Mr. Narek Yenokyan, Lawyer-Expert participated in the meeting as well.
In regard to the summarizing the results related to the women’s labor rights, it should be noted that one of the three issues subject of the discussion was related to the provision of paid leave for the husband of a woman on pregnancy and maternity leave, as well as of one taking care of a child under the age of one, which was proposed during the previous discussion by Ms Mariam Zadoyan, Lawyer-Expert at the Armenian lawyers’ Association. It should be noted that the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs finds it expedient to envisage regulation of the problem.
Narek Yenokyan attached importance to raising the level of involvement of women in local self-governing bodies. The expert pointed out that the establishment of the “Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women” under the Beijing Action Plan is of great importance in terms of equality between men and women in local self-governing bodies and added that while adopting laws on women’s advancement such mechanisms have a clear mandate and authority, as well as sufficient resources and the capacity to influence policies and compile and revise legislation. The expert also added that the Council on Equality Issues for Women and Men in the Republic of Armenia does not comply with the standards set out in the Beijing Declaration, so it is necessary to take measures to ensure that the advancement of women is in the focus of the high circles of the government.
Narek Yenokyan also suggested providing for a separate budget-line in the budgets of local self-government bodies that will allocate funds to promoting advancement of women.
