Based on the patriarchal nature of Armenian culture and society,[1] women in Armenia are normally expected to be virtuous and submissive, safeguarding their virginity until marriage. They are expected to wed "the first man who ask[s] for their hand", and become caretakers of their children. Most Armenian women thus customarily assume the role of housewives and mothers.[2] Nonetheless, some Armenian women have attained prominence in business and politics.
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According to the Grant Thornton International business survey in 2011, 29% of top-level managerial positions in Armenia during 2010 were occuped by women. However, the figure declined to 23% in 2011. Based on a report by the United Nations, there are currently 24 female Armenian mayors and community leaders; another 50 hold second-in-command positions. [3]
According to the World Health Organization, 10% to 60% of Armenian women became victims of domestic abuse and violence in 2002; the statistical data were "sporadic" because of the underreporting of domestic violence in Armenia. Underreporting is said to occur because of the treatment of domestic violence as a private family matter.[2] Connected to this problem was the ancient Armenian folk saying that says "A woman is like wool, the more you beat her, the softer she will be", which makes Armenian wives prone to being maltreated by abusive husbands. There are no well-established laws against domestic aggression and gender-based prejudice in Armenia; there is a cultural credence in Armenia that "abuse is a normal part of marriage". Furthermore, divorcing a husband - even an abusive one - causes "social disgrace", with the families of women who file for divorce or report domestic violence being considered to be shamed. Other contributing factors include Armenian women's lack of, or lower level of, education regarding their rights and how to protect themselves from abuse.[2]
In May 2007, through the legislative decree known as "the gender quota law" of 2005, more Armenian women were encouraged to get involved in Armenian politics. That year, only seven women occupied parliamentary positions. Among these female politicians was Hranush Hakobyan, the longest-serving woman in the National Assembly of Armenia.[1] The relative lack of women in Armenia's government has led to Armenia's women being considered "among the most underrepresented" and "among the lowest in the world" by foreign observers.[1]
In 2010 and 2011, during Women’s Month and as part of the "For You, Women" charitable program, the Surb Astvatcamayr Medical Center in the Armenian capital of Yerevan offered free gynecological and surgical services to the women of Armenia for a full month. Women from across the country arrived seeking treatment.[4]
Armenian feminist writer Srpouhi Dussap was the first female Armenian novelist.[5]
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