Armenia

Armenia Country Gender AssessmentUrbanRuralTable 4: Women in Local Self-Government, 2012PositionTotalPositionsNumber ofWomenProportion ofWomen(%)Mayors 48 0 …Deputy mayors 51 1 2.0Municipal council members 581 33 5.7Municipality staff 2,154 932 43.3Mayors 866 20 2.3Deputy mayors 536 39 7.3Municipal council members 5,310 505 9.5Municipality staff 6,492 3,158 48.6… = not available.Source: National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia. 2013. Women and Men in Armenia 2013. Yerevan. pp. 157–158.A review of women’s engagement in local governance by marz indicates that the marzerthat are characterized by strong and average participation of women are those that are“further from the capital and less prosperous” than the others, while those that are betterdeveloped and closer to the center of the country have low participation of women. 5861. Of elected positions, women are best represented on avaganikhorhurdner, butwomen have still not reached 10% representation (Table 4). Avaganikhorhurd membersare not paid (the mayor and mayor’s staff receive salaries), and this is considered a reasonfor the ineffectiveness of such councils and the lack of value placed on them. In fact, “thehead of the community is the head of the executive power [the mayor] who determinesexpenditure and community development priorities.” 59 Focus group participants in thecities of Gavar and Gyumri noted that avaganikhorhurdner are not, in fact, decisionmakingbodies. They serve a consultative function, and because members are appointedby heads of local administration, avaganikhorhurdner merely approve decisions. Still,many respondents to this assessment emphasized that the number of women on theavaganikhorhurdner has been steadily increasing. Comparing data from 2003 to 2013, thetotal number of women on the avaganikhorhurdner in urban areas increased from 3.4%to 5.7%, and on rural councils from 6.9% to 9.5%. 60 Anecdotal information suggests thatdespite the fact that the avaganikhorhurdner offer limited opportunities for independentdecision making, women are becoming more politically active in their communities.3. Barriers to Women Entering Government62. The reasons for women’s underrepresentation in governance vary, but some can beattributed to organizational factors, while others are closely related to societal perceptionsof women’s roles.58 Ibid.59 Ibid., p. 14.60 National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia. 2005. Women and Men in Armenia 2005. Yerevan. p. 82; and Women and Men inArmenia 2013, pp. 157–158.18