OSCE
April 8 2005
OSCE Office helps organize student essay contest on role of women in
Armenia
YEREVAN, 8 April 2005 – The winners of an essay contest on the role
of women in Armenia were announced today at an award ceremony in
Yerevan. They were chosen from more than 500 students who took part
in a nationwide competition.
The contest was organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the U.S.
Peace Corps in Armenia and the Center for the Development of Civil
Society.
The event marked the end of a gender activities month, which started
on 8 March, International Women’s Day, and ended on 7 April,
celebrated in Armenia as the Beauty and Motherhood Day.
“The essay contest inspired hundreds of students to focus on women’s
rights and the role of women in Armenia’s public and civic life,”
says Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office. “This is
only one of several projects, developed by the OSCE, which aim to
enhance the role of women in Armenia’s public life.”
The contest was administered by Peace Corps volunteers in nine
regions of Armenia. Twenty seven regional as well as three national
winners were chosen.
“This project is one of the few country-wide initiatives that aims to
promote gender education and awareness through outreach to young
Armenians, especially in the regions of the country,” said Blanka
Hancilova, Democratization Officer with the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
“In order to raise gender awareness and gender mainstreaming, our
Office works with both men and women in the secondary and higher
educational institutions, as well as in the governmental structures.”
For further information, please contact:
Gohar Avagyan
OSCE Office in Yerevan
89 Teryan St.
375009, Yerevan
Armenia
Tel.: +374 1 54 10 62
+374 1 54 58 45
Fax: +374 1 54 10 61