Conduction of research on gender-based violence and prenatal sex-selection in Armenia

  • Sector:Social relations, social protection, gender issues
  • Services: Economic and social research
  • Period: November 24, 2017-June 26, 2018
  • Description:

The survey was conducted in the frame of “Caring for Equality” Project implementing by World Vision Armenia, which aims to change and prevent the stereotypical attitude and behavior that hurt women and girls, promote the creation of an environment where girls and boys are born and valued equally.

Recently, various public spheres have provided information on sex-related pregnancy interruptions that is accompanied by negative assessments and demographic predictions. The fact that the important and alarming problem exists is a fact already recorded. We have addressed this problem trying to see the basis of the woman’s “secondary” role and the discriminatory attitudes in the society in everyday relationships. Thus, the objective of the current survey was to examine the gender inequality in everyday life.

The survey target groups are as following:

  • Community residents of different regions with whom in-depth interviews were conducted,
  • Community residents of different regions in whose families involved observations were conducted,
  • Experst, including a representative of women's rights NGO, an expert of legislation, representatives of the education sector.

Different research tools, including questionnaires and conversation guidelines, were designed for each target group.

The restrictions on women have been applied in the Armenian society for centuries. The severity towards a woman was applied since younger, minor age and became more severe in the age of marriage. Throughout the years, habits had been continuously developed, through which women were controlled by both household members and society. As it turned out as a result of our survey, they continue to be applied nowadays manifesting in a number of spheres and relationships, causing the limitation of women's speech and decision-making, obstacles to participating in community issues outside the home, restrictions on appearing in the street, impossibility of sole time management, and so on. The important results of the survey are summarized below:

  • Women are left out of the communication in public life, at which the values, ideas, situations that are important for the society are shaped or transformed. Men participate in public discussions, make decisions, and women obey them.
  • It is natural to give an advantage to men's opinion because our society is a patriarchal and lives by the laws of men's relationship.
  • The works carrying out in everyday life are clearly divided between a man and a woman. Everything that is related to work done outside the home - business, large-scale farming and more, is considered men's work. Women's activities are food preparation, laying and clearing the table, house cleaning activities - ironing, washing, etc., i.e. so-called “indoors” works. It is not welcomed, if in everyday life man conducts works envisaged for women, moreover, it is considered as shameful.
  • There is also a status difference in the implementation of works. A woman carrying out home work (housewife) has less authority than a man who earns money and living. In other words, the woman's works are considered to be less important than the man’s works. With certain exceptions, it also refers to the cases when a woman earns money simultaneously.
  • From 8-9 years children are put on a sex and role division: girls are involved in the implementation of activities envisaged for women, and boys are involved in the implementation of activities envisaged for men. For the future, girls are mainly perceived as a good mother, a good bride, a good wife, and a keeper of paternal family honor. In other words, the role of a woman as a subject is not considered. Whereas in case of boys, they are presented as bearers of individual qualities, as well as those who ensure the continuation of the family.
  • The decisions made inside the HH are perceived as something natural, including the division of work between a man and a woman. All these things are considered to be initially determined, and the implementers do not see their participatory role in their formation and/or alteration.

Research on gender-based violence and prenatal sex-selection in Armenia

  • Data: June 26, 2018
  • Download: Arm