Domestic Violence in Moldova - The Advocates for Human Rights

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deputy ministers were women. 43 It is currently extremely difficult for women to enterpolitics without the backing of men, and when they do, it is almost impossible for them toavoid the assumption that they are the political tools of men. 44In 1988, Armenia became embroiled in a dispute with Azerbaijan over the statusof the enclave of Nagorno-Karabagh, located in Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabagh washistorically a part of Armenia and was populated primarily by Armenians. 45 The conflicterupted into war in 1993, killing over 30,000 people and displacing a million more. 46 Acease-fire has been in effect since 1994. This conflict, as well as civil war in neighboringGeorgia, has led to a flood of refugees into Armenia. 47 The war led to blockades byTurkey and Azerbaijan and shortages of fuel, raw materials and food, as well as a declinein industrial production.Also in 1988, a devastating earthquake left over 25,000 dead and 500,000homeless in Armenia. 48 The cities most devastated by the earthquake have still not beencompletely rebuilt. In Gyumri, a city heavily affected by the earthquake, some residentswho lost their homes have been living in temporary shelters for the past twelve years. Arepresentative of an NGO reported that the slow recovery from the disaster complicatedthe work of local NGOs. She stated, “somehow the mentality is different in Gyumri.People see no change in the twelve years since the earthquake and this creates a sense ofapathy.” 49Armenia is currently experiencing a severe economic crisis. In 1992, 97% of thepopulation was designated as living below the absolute poverty line fixed byeconomists. 50 Since then, the economy has improved only slightly, and poverty figureshave been estimated most recently at 54%. 51 Unemployment is high; even when peoplehave jobs, salaries are low and payment is very often delayed. Well over half the43 REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA MINISTRY OF STATISTICS, STATE REGISTER AND ANALYSIS, Women and Menin Armenia at 48-49 (1999).44 Dudwick, supra note 17 at 245.45 Fact Sheet: Nagororno-Karabagh. American Research Center 3 The University of Michigan-Dearborn. (1996) available at .46 International Mediators in Baku for Talks on Nagorno-Karabagh. Agence France Press, December14, 1999.47 The Europa World Year Book, volume I (1999).48 Id.49 Interview, February 21, 2000 (NGO activist).50 Status of Women in Armenia, 2000, United Nations Development Program Draft Report at 34 (2000)(unpublished).51 Id.Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Domestic Violence in Armenia, December 2000 11
population earns a monthly income of US $34 or less. 52 Women make up 70% of theregistered unemployed. 53 The Armenian government explains that a disproportionatelyhigh number of women are unemployed because “traditionally, women are more orientedtowards family and children.” 54 Still, many women work in the unofficial economy,often supporting their families by buying and selling goods abroad. 55 In addition to thehigh unemployment rate, the rate of property ownership for women is low. As land wasprivatized in Armenia, it was only registered in women’s names in cases where the manin the family was absent. 56 Many government social services to aid families have alsolargely disintegrated. For example, many state run child-care centers have been forced toclose or offer inferior facilities due to loss of resources.The economic situation has led to a mass emigration of Armenians. Today morethan half the world’s Armenians live outside of Armenia. The International MigrationOffice in Yerevan reports that an estimated one million people have left the country since1992, of an original population of 3.7 million. 57 Although the diaspora population retainsstrong contacts with relatives in Armenia, this emigration has also caused dislocations inArmenian society. The departure of many men for work abroad has begun to change theroles of men and women within the family.D. Evidence of Domestic ViolenceDomestic violence is a more common problem in Armenia than is either reportedor officially acknowledged. The Armenian government currently provides no officialstatistics on domestic violence or other crimes within the family. 58 Available data andresearch, however, indicate that domestic violence is a serious problem that affects alllevels of society in Armenia.Women in Armenia do not customarily speak openly about abuse suffered in thehome. In recent years, however, many women’s NGOs have emerged and some havebegun to document systematically the problem of domestic violence. In 1998, theWomen’s Rights Center in Yerevan surveyed 100 women and found that 46 hadexperienced some form of violence in the family, including sexual violence. Of these52 Id. at 30.53 UNICEF/ Save the Children/ Government of Armenia, A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN ANDWOMEN IN ARMENIA 113 (1998).54 IWRAW to CEDAW, Country Report on Armenia, supra note 42 at 7.55 Dudwick, supra note 17 at 241-42.56 Id. at 8.57 Interview, May 12, 2000 (IOM, Yerevan).58 Officials at all levels of the justice system do, however, keep extensive records and several said itwould be possible to compile information on crimes involving women if this were to be required.Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Domestic Violence in Armenia, December 2000 12
Page 1 and 2: Domestic Violencein ArmeniaDecember
Page 3 and 4: Copyright © 2000 by Minnesota Advo
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis report was writ
Page 7 and 8: of its citizens from human rights a
Page 9 and 10: degrading treatment as guaranteed i
Page 11 and 12: 10. The Armenian government should
Page 13 and 14: Armenia’s relationship with Turke
Page 15: punishment for murder replaced the
Page 19 and 20: two children from a previous marria
Page 21 and 22: higher than the number of calls the
Page 23 and 24: from the counter and stabbed the ma
Page 25 and 26: an element of physical or psycholog
Page 27 and 28: A police representative stated that
Page 29 and 30: face problems in a country with spo
Page 31 and 32: Many people, particularly governmen
Page 33 and 34: outside employment have become like
Page 35 and 36: violent acts that result in physica
Page 37 and 38: 2. ProcedureDomestic abuse may come
Page 39 and 40: in prison for giving his wife a bla
Page 41 and 42: which a woman’s sentence was redu
Page 43 and 44: investigator can decide under which
Page 45 and 46: Where children or property issues a
Page 47 and 48: the few remedies for domestic viole
Page 49 and 50: Elimination of Discrimination again
Page 51 and 52: phenomenon of domestic violence on
Page 53: Domestic Violence in ArmeniaMinneso

Domestic Violence in Moldova - The Advocates for Human Rights

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