OSCE Office supports discussion on domestic violence legislation in Armenia

YEREVAN, 17 February 2012 – A new draft law on domestic violence was the focus of a discussion held today with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The meeting of the Inter-Agency Commission for Combating Gender-Based Violence brought together some 40 representatives of key state agencies, civil society and the international community active in the field. The Commission will revise the new draft law on domestic violence in order to ensure its compliance with international standards.

“Sharing experiences and opinions between experts is an indispensible part of the revision process,” said Oliver McCoy, Democratization Programme Officer of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “Addressing the various forms of gender-based violence is not an easy or straight-forward endeavour for any country or any society. Collective efforts and partnerships among institutional stakeholders in collaboration with civil society are paramount.”

Participants were also presented the findings of a public opinion survey on domestic violence conducted by the “Proactive Society” non-governmental organization with OSCE Office in Yerevan support.  The survey evaluated the prevalence of domestic violence, identified its patterns and looked at public perception of police work.

The OSCE Office in Yerevan has been a member of the Inter-Agency Commission since it was established by the Prime Minister in 2010. The Office has assisted Armenia in combating gender-based and domestic violence, including through supporting Armenian police to respond to domestic violence.