Comments on: Election Observation, Training & Gender http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/ Journalism and Photography from Armenia and the Surrounding Region Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:09:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Artashes http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3777 Thu, 03 May 2007 05:30:26 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3777 Maybe, in some small degree you are right about the positive effect of quotas and set percentages for women. That is, if there is some legally binding quota for women, then the brightest, politically astute women will have a "light at the end of tunnel" and start their political activities at a younger age, find and recruit other like-minded women, mature in politics and eventually become REAL players and not the pieces of nice furniture sitting in the parliament. At least, let's hope so. And don't tell me that the "free-market" policies of Thatcher had anything to do with her being a woman........ that was an unexpected - coming from you - piece of "patriarchal Armenian / Caucasus macho crap". :) Maybe, in some small degree you are right about the positive effect of quotas and set percentages for women. That is, if there is some legally binding quota for women, then the brightest, politically astute women will have a “light at the end of tunnel” and start their political activities at a younger age, find and recruit other like-minded women, mature in politics and eventually become REAL players and not the pieces of nice furniture sitting in the parliament. At least, let’s hope so.

And don’t tell me that the “free-market” policies of Thatcher had anything to do with her being a woman…….. that was an unexpected - coming from you - piece of “patriarchal Armenian / Caucasus macho crap”. :)

]]> by: Onnik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3764 Tue, 01 May 2007 14:26:30 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3764 It's called positive discrimination and is usually introduced when it comes to groups such as women and ethnic minorities as a safeguard to allowing a situation that is otherwise abnormal. For example, in areas of high minority population you would expect to find employees from those groups in a certain number of positions within companies and so on, but in some places where racism is high, you won't. Probably the same is true in Armenia. Without enforcing female participation in party politics, the general nature of society here would hardly help even the brightest of female political stars rise up. Sure, quality over quantity, but first of all I'd suggest you take a look at the makeup of parliament and ask yourself what we have at the moment. Anyway, no form of discrimination is good, but consider lesser positive discrimination in order to represent the balance of gender in society against the greater negative discrimination of patriarchal Armenian / Caucasus macho crap, and I its up to Armenia to choose the model of development that it deems necessary. Anyway, key to any of this, of course, is democratic elections. A woman MP elected in dodgy ways is as illegitimate as a male MP elected in the same way. Still, if Armenian men are going to do all they can to prevent women from emerging from their stereotypical role what other option is there? If Armenians can't sort out their own society then perhaps legislation and the constitution is the only way. On the other hand, I wouldn't want anyone else to experience another Margaret Thatcher, although I suppose Britain did at least vote her into power. It’s called positive discrimination and is usually introduced when it comes to groups such as women and ethnic minorities as a safeguard to allowing a situation that is otherwise abnormal. For example, in areas of high minority population you would expect to find employees from those groups in a certain number of positions within companies and so on, but in some places where racism is high, you won’t.

Probably the same is true in Armenia. Without enforcing female participation in party politics, the general nature of society here would hardly help even the brightest of female political stars rise up. Sure, quality over quantity, but first of all I’d suggest you take a look at the makeup of parliament and ask yourself what we have at the moment.

Anyway, no form of discrimination is good, but consider lesser positive discrimination in order to represent the balance of gender in society against the greater negative discrimination of patriarchal Armenian / Caucasus macho crap, and I its up to Armenia to choose the model of development that it deems necessary.

Anyway, key to any of this, of course, is democratic elections. A woman MP elected in dodgy ways is as illegitimate as a male MP elected in the same way. Still, if Armenian men are going to do all they can to prevent women from emerging from their stereotypical role what other option is there? If Armenians can’t sort out their own society then perhaps legislation and the constitution is the only way.

On the other hand, I wouldn’t want anyone else to experience another Margaret Thatcher, although I suppose Britain did at least vote her into power.

]]> by: Artashes http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3763 Tue, 01 May 2007 08:00:53 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3763 About women in public sphere. It's not as simple as just numbers. For instance, they forced Iraqi current parliament to have some high percentage of women to show "democraticness" of the new regime. It's a travesty, especially on the background of increasing Islamic fundamentalism in Iraq. So, only an idiot can say that the bigger percentage of women in this or that party, somehow the more inclusive or representative or whatever the party is. Total crap! The QUALITY of women's participation is what matters, not the scores of women sitting in the party (or the parliament, for that matter) and carrying out the same "domestic" role as they would do in the family, taking cue from the party leaders and parroting the party line. What use was the "women's fraction" in the LTP parliament, Shamiram it was called or whatever. Who remembers them now or what good they did? One shoudn't be a PhD to understand that Quality takes total precedence over Quantity... About women in public sphere. It’s not as simple as just numbers. For instance, they forced Iraqi current parliament to have some high percentage of women to show “democraticness” of the new regime. It’s a travesty, especially on the background of increasing Islamic fundamentalism in Iraq.

So, only an idiot can say that the bigger percentage of women in this or that party, somehow the more inclusive or representative or whatever the party is. Total crap! The QUALITY of women’s participation is what matters, not the scores of women sitting in the party (or the parliament, for that matter) and carrying out the same “domestic” role as they would do in the family, taking cue from the party leaders and parroting the party line.

What use was the “women’s fraction” in the LTP parliament, Shamiram it was called or whatever. Who remembers them now or what good they did?

One shoudn’t be a PhD to understand that Quality takes total precedence over Quantity…

]]> by: Onnik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3760 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:41:31 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3760 Hovik, I'm covering Prosperous Armenia more than other parties, I think, so it's time to spend more time on the rest. However, point taken about the Republican party. However, I've had one meeting with their Press Officer and one of his assistants has promised to ring me countless times to inform me of their meetings i.e. where and when, but she never does. However, it was one of the things I need to do this week. That is, hassle them some more, but I have to say that they're really not being helpful. Hovik, I’m covering Prosperous Armenia more than other parties, I think, so it’s time to spend more time on the rest. However, point taken about the Republican party. However, I’ve had one meeting with their Press Officer and one of his assistants has promised to ring me countless times to inform me of their meetings i.e. where and when, but she never does. However, it was one of the things I need to do this week. That is, hassle them some more, but I have to say that they’re really not being helpful.

]]> by: Onnik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3759 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:39:20 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3759 Too late. Anyway, re. Aylentrank / Impeachment, I have covered them before and will try to make it for their next rally which I assume will also be on Friday as they usually are. Re. numbers, if you mean those which <a href="http://www.a1plus.am/en/?page=issue&amp;iid=48510" rel="nofollow">A1 Plus are reporting</a>, i.e. 8-10,000, I'm told this is not the case. The last time I attended one of their rallies which was 2 weeks ago there was less than 1,000. Asking people I'm told that once again A1 Plus are inflating the numbers, but will check on Friday unless something else of urgency comes up. However, now that Impeachment, Republic and New Times are <a href="http://www.elections2007.am/?sub=shownews&amp;newsid=70" rel="nofollow">apparently working together</a> I'll try to also get pics of Aram Karapetyan's next rally which I think should happen sooner. Too late. Anyway, re. Aylentrank / Impeachment, I have covered them before and will try to make it for their next rally which I assume will also be on Friday as they usually are. Re. numbers, if you mean those which A1 Plus are reporting, i.e. 8-10,000, I’m told this is not the case.

The last time I attended one of their rallies which was 2 weeks ago there was less than 1,000. Asking people I’m told that once again A1 Plus are inflating the numbers, but will check on Friday unless something else of urgency comes up.

However, now that Impeachment, Republic and New Times are apparently working together I’ll try to also get pics of Aram Karapetyan’s next rally which I think should happen sooner.

]]> by: Haik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3756 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:11:57 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3756 Hi Onnik, No need to publish this. Can you please cover the Ayl@ntrank/Impeachment movement? I read that the number of people attending their meetings are becoming bigger. Regards, Haik Hi Onnik,

No need to publish this.
Can you please cover the Ayl@ntrank/Impeachment movement? I read that the number of people attending their meetings are becoming bigger.
Regards,

Haik

]]> by: Onnik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3755 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:15:47 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/04/29/election-observation-training-women/#comment-3755 Armenia Now also <a href="http://www.armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=2141&CID=2198&IID=&lng=eng&PHPSESSID=9d6519640f65f3093b91b76442f9bd7c">has an article</a> on observation of the 12 May parliamentary election here. Armenia Now also has an article on observation of the 12 May parliamentary election here.

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