women and political power

In spite of their invaluable contribution to Armenia’s liberation struggle, Armenian women have been largely marginalized as political leaders through traditionally exclusionary practices of a centuries old paternalistic culture. In today's contemporary society, Armenian women are leading both Armenian and non-Armenian political organizations while still encountering male chauvinism, which grossly undermines egalitarian aims for social justice. Both in the Diaspora and in Armenia, socialist movements are uneven at best in addressing the area of women’s rights, which has only contributed to the social and economic factors behind the dismal status of women’s participation in political life. This panel will explore the current impact Armenian women are having in contemporary politics and the obstacles, which Armenian political culture continues to place before them.