BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA MEETS PARTICIPANTS OF FAMILIARIZATION TRIPS UNDER WO/MEN IN POLITICS PROJECT

Noyan Tapan
March 18, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, NOYAN TAPAN. A reception of the Armenian parliament
deputies and employees, who had participated in familiarization trips
under Wo/Men in Politics project, was given at the residence of Charles
Lonsdale, the British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
to Armenia. The indicated project was financed by the British embassy.

Welcoming the guests, the ambassador stated that the purpose of their
meeting was to summarize the results of the trips and discuss the
prospects of further cooperation. It was mentioned that today all
countries are facing economic difficulties, and in countries like
Armenia and Great Britain which lack natural resources, creative and
intelligent people are in demand. So it is important that women also
take an active part in social and political life, prior to which the
existing gender inequality should be eliminated, while female deputies
of the RA National Assembly may set as a good example in this issue.

The Vice Speaker of the National Assembly Ms. Arevik Petrosian who
headed the delegations during trips expressed her gratitude for
cooperation under the mutual understanding memorandum on gender
issues which was signed between the RA National Assembly and the
Yerevan Office of the British Council on November 2009. She said
that despite the short period, the cooperation results inspire much
satisfaction and confidence in future measures and actions aimed
at achieving the goals of cooperation. In her words, the National
Assembly keeps gender issues at the center of its attention, and as
envisaged by the memorandum, the NA will establish an advisory body
to deal with parliamentary and extraparliamentary initiatives.

"Our trips showed once again that in different periods of development,
gender problems have been at the center of attention in all countries,
these problems followed and continue to follow a long path in Armenia
and other countries," A. Petrosian said. According to her, they were
greatly impressed by the meetings they had during the familiarization
trips to Great Britain, Finland, and Poland. The purpose of the
trips was to discuss the ways of enhancing women’s role in social
and political life and exchange experience in gender issues.

"The meetings passed in a sincere atmosphere, and we attached
importance to the fact that it is impossible to solve such problems
by adhering to certain principles and standards. The political will
and desire to find solutions and evaluate the results should form
a basis," A. Petrosian noted. According to her, the trips were also
important in terms of strengthening interparliamentary links.