CONVENTION ON "POLITICAL RIGHTS OF WOMEN" SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL OF NA

Noyan Tapan
Oct 24, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. In the October 23 sitting the RA
National Assembly discussed the convention on "Political Rights of
Women" submitted for approval by the President of the country, the
ballot of which was postponed on account of a lack in the number of
MPs participating in the sitting.

The convention was signed on March 31, 1953 in New York and came
into force on July 7, 1954. It is open for any invited and member
country of the United Nations. At present, 120 states have ratified
and joined the convention.

According to the convention, the Republic of Armenia is obliged,
in particular, to implement the voting right of women and men in all
the elections on equal bases, to create conditions for women to be
elected in all the elective bodies by the order defined by the national
legislation, as well as to provide women with an opportunity to hold
state positions and perform state functions defined by the legislation.

According to Gegham Gharibjanian, the main reporter and the RA Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the ratification of the convention is
envisaged by the 2004-2010 national program on "Improvement of the
condition of the RA women and increase in their role in society"
approved by the RA government.

The provisions set in the convention are in conformity with the
RA Constitution and the legislation of the country. It was also
mentioned that the ratification of the convention will contribute to
the promotion of democracy in Armenia.