The events of 2020-2022 shattered many illusions, including the protection of human rights. This article, therefore, is about dreams, because knowledge and experience are no longer enough, writes Zara Hovhannisyan.
Although norms prohibiting violence against, and sexual exploitation of, children have been enshrined in international and domestic legal mechanisms, violence against children remains one of the most serious challenges in the modern world.
What happens when a couple only has a church wedding, but not a civil marriage? What about couples that have done neither but are living and raising a family together? These unions are not legally recognized in Armenia’s Family Law leading to a lot of problems down the road.
If civil society is considered one of the most important pillars of a democratic state, did Armenian civil society fail in its role in protecting human rights, ensuring public oversight and accountability after 2018?
The effectiveness of the justice system determines the level of respect for human rights in a country. It remains to be seen what steps the new government will take and whether the provisions of the strategic judicial reform program will be implemented.
Women, the elderly and children living under the same roof with violent abusers became even more vulnerable during the quarantine. Calls to domestic violence hotlines in Armenia have increased by almost 30%.
When a young woman was found strangled to death in Yerevan, some in Armenian society decided to give themselves the right to discuss what she must have done to deserve such a fate.
There is no honor in silence. There is no honor when the most vulnerable are subjected to horrifying crimes. Human rights defenders and first responders deal with these cases on a daily basis. Human rights defender Zara Hovhannisyan shares some of her experiences with those whose destinies have been shattered.
EVN Report’s mission is to empower Armenia, inspire the diaspora and inform the world through sound, credible and fact-based reporting and commentary. Our goal is to increase public trust in the media. EVN Report is the media arm of EVN News Foundation registered in the Republic of Armenia in 2017.
