The Gender Issue in the Focus of Attention

The first meeting of the Interagency Commission on Gender Issues, created within the Memorandum of Understanding signed by RA Ministry of  the Labor and Social Issues and the UN Women’s Development Fund, took place on June 27. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Issues Artsvik Minasyan.

There were two issues on the agenda: the events envisaged within the frameworks of the Memorandum of Understanding and the purpose of establishment of the Interagency Commission, as well as presentation of the document “The Gender-related Analysis of the RA Poverty Reduction Strategy Program and Proposals on Introduction of the Gender Component.”

Speaking on the first issue of the agenda, Ms. Minasyan pointed out that according to the Memorandum of Understanding, the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues made an obligation to set up and coordinate an Interagency Commission on gender issues under its direct leadership. The Commission will be composed of the governmental and civil society representatives and independent experts. The goal of the Commission will be to review and confirm the strategies and instruments aimed at improving the implementation, monitoring and coordination of the obligations of the government on gender equality issues. The Ministry, by means of the National Institute of Labor and Social Studies and on behalf of the Interagency Commission, will coordinate and supervise the process of the establishment of the interim group on gender issues, involving 4-5 professionals.

The issues included in the document “The Gender Analysis of the RA Poverty Reduction Strategy Program and Proposals on Introduction of the Gender Component” were presented by the President of the “Association of Women with University Education” Jemma Hasratyan. She noted that the study conducted by the experts was aimed at introducing gender approaches into the document. Some proposals were made for appropriate fields.

The outcomes of the study were scrupulously discussed. As a result, a recommendation was given to the RA National Institute of Labor and Social Studies to set up an interim working group for elaboration of drafts events aimed at resolution of the problem.

Published in: the Official Web site of the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, http://www.mss.am
Armenian version available at: http://www.mss.am/arm/news/news06/news58.htm