Armenia

Crosscutting Gender Issuesin a career could compromise their family life and challenge their traditional roles as wivesand mothers. 185135. Even among younger girls, adherence to stereotypes is quite strong. According toa survey of 101 girls, 12–17 years old in Yerevan, 88% agreed with the statement that “themost important thing for a woman is being a good wife for her husband and a good motherfor her children,” but almost the same number (70%) aspired to combine careers andfamily. 186 Only a small number (20%) aimed to focus solely on careers and “become a goodprofessional.”136. It should also be noted that the value placed on female education may varybetween the capital and the regions and by family. In some families, for instance, boys“receive the best education and get the most prestige [sic] specialization in the bestuniversities, whereas the girls can either study in less famous universities thus receiving lessimportant professions or don’t study at all.” 187 In a sociological study of gender stereotypesthat was conducted among 1,500 women and men (with an approximately equal division ofmale and female respondents) in Yerevan and the largest cities of five marzer, respondentswere asked to list three qualities of their own choosing that they develop in their sons anddaughters. While “education” was the first choice for boys (16.5% of respondents listed thisquality), it was not even included among the responses given about girls. 1882. Gender-Based Violence137. GBV, especially domestic violence, is one of the most critical issues facingwomen in Armenia. Globally, domestic violence is linked to women’s subordinate roleand a patriarchal system that honors male power and control. The concept paper ongender equality and the subsequent strategic action plan devote chapters to the issue ofpreventing GBV, and draw attention to the absence of government programs for victims,societal stigmatization of victims, and the lack of statistical data about the incidenceof GBV. 189 The government adopted a stand-alone Strategic Action Plan to CombatGender-Based Violence, 2011–2015 190 that addresses prevention of GBV, provisionof comprehensive services to and protection of victims of GBV, and prosecution ofperpetrators. While policy documents speak of GBV, the focus of most governmentefforts and NGO activities has been on domestic violence, or intimate partner violence,specifically.138. Although official data and reliable statistics on GBV are limited, surveys carriedout by the government and women’s NGOs confirmed that domestic violence affects asignificant portion of the population, yet it remains a latent problem, largely invisible insociety. A quantitative survey that included close to 5,000 households was conductedin 2008–2009 and revealed that 61.7% of ever-partnered women had experienced someform of controlling behavior from an intimate partner. More specifically, 25.0% of women185 Ibid.186 Z. Aznauryan. 2013. Socio-Psychological Specifics of Adolescent Girls in Yerevan. Yerevan: Women’s Resource Center. pp. 21, 24.187 Ibid., p. 12.188 Sociological Study on Gender Attitudes and Stereotypes in Armenia, pp. 30–31.189 Gender Policy Concept Paper of the Republic of Armenia, pp. 29–30.190 Adopted 17 June 2011.41