Armenia Receives Recommendations on Respecting LBTQI Women's Rights

ECOM together with the New Generation NGO submitted an alternative report on the situation regarding observance of LBTQI women's rights and freedoms in Armenia in accordance with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

On October 10, Alina Mirzoyan, Human Rights and Advocacy Coordinator of the New Generation NGO, delivered a presentation at the 83rd session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. She raised issues related to discrimination on the grounds of SOGI, the lack of opportunity for legal transgender transition as well as hate crimes and hate speech against LGBT people.

In its final recommendations, the Committee noted with satisfaction that, since 2006, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has granted the National Human Rights Institution of Armenia “A” status, which was reviewed and confirmed in 2021 in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles, General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 4 March 1994). However, the Committee was concerned that the Human Rights Defender's mandate does not provide for the comprehensive protection of LBTQI women's rights. In this regard, the Committee recommended that Armenia implement the recommendations of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions by providing the Office of the Human Rights Defender with sufficient resources to effectively and independently fulfill its mandate, including its anti-discrimination mandate to protect the rights of LBTQI women.

The Committee expressed its concern about reports of discrimination, harassment and hate speech against LBTQI women. It also expressed concern about the lack of legislative provisions governing the legal transgender transition and gender marker change, and the lack of awareness among medical personnel about the rights of LBTQI women. In this regard, the Committee recommended that the state:

take legislative and political measures to combat gender-based violence and discrimination against LBTQI women, including hate speech and physical, verbal and emotional abuse;
protect LBTQI women's human rights in all areas covered by the Convention and conduct awareness-raising activities to combat the stigmatization they face in society;
give transgender persons, including women, the right to change the gender marker in their passports and other identity documents;
ensure that LBTQI women can freely participate in political and public life, exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly without intimidation or repression.

ECOM will continue to support initiatives in the country and is ready to assist the government in implementing the recommendations.

Also, ECOM will continue to support civil society in their initiative to interact with the UN.

The report was prepared by ECOM and published as part of the Regional project “Sustainability of services for key populations in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia” (SoS_project 2.0), implemented by a consortium of organizations led by the Alliance fir Public Health in partnership with the CO “100% Life”, with financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of the consortium organizations as well as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was not involved in agreeing and approving either the material itself or the possible conclusions from it.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was not involved in agreement and approval either the material itself or its possible conclusions.