UNFPA ARMENIA OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES REPORT ON LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF RA LEGISLATION FROM GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE PERSPECTIVE

ArmInfo
2010-02-18 12:54:00

ArmInfo. Today on February 18, 2010 UNFPA/Armenia launched the Report
on the Legal Assessment of the RA Legislation from Gender-Based
Violence (GBV) perspective, conducted within the framework of UNFPA
"Combating Gender-Based Violence in the South Caucasus" project.

The purpose of the legal assessment was to review whether, how and to
what extent the national laws of Armenia comply with international
law, legal norms and standards pertaining to GBV prevention, and to
produce a package of recommendations regarding necessary amendments
and changes in the RA legislation, which will be presented to the RA
Government for further consideration.

The Report provides a detailed overview of the analysis of the major
legal documents of Armenia from gender-based violence perspective,
including: The RA Constitution, The Criminal Code, The Family Code,
The Labor Code, The Criminal Procedures Code, The legal acts on Social
Security and Health-Care.

Opening the event with welcoming speech, Ms. Dafina Gercheva, the
UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative said that
GBV is a global problem hindering sustainable development of a
country and healthy atmosphere in public. Although many countries
have relevant legislation to combat GBV and protect women, she said,
this problem must be under permanent control and the public must fight
this phenomenon. D. Gercheva highlighted that Armenia has ratified a
number of international documents and assumed commitments to fulfill
them. At the same time, gender-based violence is not considered in
the country as a separate crime. Besides, she believes that victims of
violence are deprived of the legal right to protection. Ms. Gercheva
also outlined certain passivity of the victims of violence who do
not apply to the law- enforcement.