By Haig Kayserian - Chairman, Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Australia)
On May 28th, 2015 Armenians around the world celebrated
the 97th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Armenia’s First
Republic - the occasion popularly referred to as “Mayis 28”. This is a significant date on the global Armenian
calendar for various reasons. It is significant, because in the lead-up to Mayis 28,
Armenians rose from the ashes of the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million of
their compatriots were subjected to an attempt by Ottoman Turkey to rid the
world of the Armenian race.
It is significant, because in the lead-up to Mayis 28,
Armenian civilians followed the lead of revolutionaries by bearing arms and
staging battles in Sartarabad, Gharakilise and Pashabaran.
It is significant, because on Mayis 28, Armenia was able
to form an independent state with an autonomous government for the first time
in over 500 years.
It is also significant, because following Mayis 28,
Armenia’s fledgling Republic formed a government, led by the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation majority, which will go down in history as one of the
models of democracy.
A gender-representative government was formed, with women
not only given the right to vote in that election, but also to be elected. And,
as a result, three women were elected as part of Armenia’s first Parliament,
which consisted of 80 members.
To draw a comparison, Australia - rightly considered a
modern beacon of democracy - elected its first female Member of Parliament in
1943; 24 years later!
Sona Zeytlian has done some fantastic research in her
book titled “The Role of Women in the Armenian Revolutionary Movement”, which
allows us to learn more about the Armenian Republic’s first female MPs,
Katarine Zalyan-Manukyan, Pertchuhi Partizpanyan-Barseghyan and Varvara
Sahakyan.
Before moving onto the pressing question this article
asks, which is “Where Are Our Women?”, allow me to copy and paste from Zeytlian
a short biography on each these fantastic pioneers of democracy.
"Katarine Zalyan-Manukyan was the wife of Aram
Manukyan, who was the founder of the First Republic of Armenia. She was elected
an MP and was a member of the health committee. Being a nurse, she dedicated
herself to helping orphans and migrants by leading a struggle against epidemics
day and night. She met her future husband at one of the orphanages. In 1917,
they got married in Yerevan and had a daughter named Seda. In 1919, when Seda
was only four months old, Aram got infected with typhus and died. After the
fall of the First Republic, the political persecutions of the Bolsheviks were
added to Katarine’s deprivations. She died in 1965, and had said the following
to her daughter prior to her death: “I didn’t see it, but you will definitely
see the day when people will remember and appreciate your father. I’m certain
that the people won’t forget him.” And that’s exactly what happened."
"Pertchuhi Partizpanyan-Barseghyan was born in 1886
in Edirne (Turkey). She was only 16 years old when she met her future husband,
member of the Armenian revolutionary movement Sargis Barseghyan. At the
initiative of her husband, she created the “Union of Armenian Women”. She
traveled to Geneva to study literature and pedagogy. In this period, she also
began to create with the pseudonym Etna and wrote short stories included in a
collection entitled “After the Storm”. Pertchuhi and Sargis had a short-lived
marriage (Sargis was killed in 1915). In the wake of her husband’s death,
Pertchuhi moved to Tbilisi and later to Yerevan. Elected a Member of
Parliament, she coordinated the activities with the American Relief Committee.
After the fall of the First Republic of Armenia, like many, she also left the
country. She settled in Paris where she held office in the office of Nansen and
continued to write. She died in 1940."
"Varvara Sahakyan was the wife of the first chairman
of the parliament Avetik Sahakyan. She was elected a Member of Parliament and
became the educational programs coordinator in the Republic of Armenia. After
the occupation by the Russian army in December 1920, her husband and other
national figures were sentenced to prison in Yerevan. After the failure of the
1921 February Revolution, Varvara, her husband their two children moved to
Tavriz. After living here for six years, they moved to Iraq, but the climate
had a bad impact on Varvara’s health, and the family was compelled to move to
Lebanon. In Beirut Varvara became actively involved in community service again
and participated in the activities carried out by the Armenian Relief Cross.
She died in 1934."
Moreover, Armenia’s First Republic appointed the world’s
first female Ambassador. Diana Abgar became Armenia’s Ambassador to Japan and
was instrumental in successfully advocating for Japan recognise Armenia’s
Independence in 1920.
These are amazing women, and these are amazing stories
that should fill Armenians with great pride.
So… where are our women today?
Of course, I am not discounting the amazing contribution
of females in our day-to-day community activities in Armenia and in the
Diaspora. Here in Australia, I see the priceless work of women in the Armenian
Relief Society, Hamazkaine, Homenetmen, Armenia Media, the Armenian churches,
etcetera. I am sure this is the same in Armenia and our other Diaspora
communities.
But in the political sphere, where the contribution of
women is critical as a representative of at least half our population, their
presence is lacking.
It would be too easy to blame our women. I prefer to
blame us, the men.
In Armenia today, there are 14 female Members of
Parliament out of 131. And this is likely because of a quota rule that exists
which states that a single gender cannot occupy more than 80% of seats in the
Parliament. This should mean that even if men are dominant, only 80% should be
men, and 20% should be women.
But, 14 out of 131 seats means only 11% of Armenia’s
Parliament are women.
If there was no quota, which also enforces that parties
put up a certain number of female candidates, Armenia may not even have the 14
female MPs that it has.
Census data shows that women outnumber men in Armenia.
That’s right - more than 51% of the population (and 60% of the population
possessing higher education) is represented by only 11% of seats in Armenia's
national Parliament.
This is disappointing to say the least.
97 years later, the pioneering women of Armenia’s First
Republic would not have thought there would be such little gain in women’s
representation in Armenian political life.
Even more disappointing is the absence of women leaders
in Diaspora politics.
I am proud to say that the pioneering three female MPs of
the First Republic were all members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) - the party I belong to.
However it is not necessarily the case today. Even in the
ARF, representation of women in higher bodies and assemblies is sorely lacking.
The reality of other Armenian political parties in the
Diaspora is not better.
The more important reality that we all have to face is
that it is the male population of the Armenian world that can increase the
proportional representation of women in Armenian politics.
With nearly 90% of Armenia’s elected legislators being
male, and the majority of members in the ARF and other parties being male, it
is in the hands of males today to make legislative and moral changes to
increase female participation in our political reality.
Legislative changes can come by way of quota increases to
something more respectable and representative (if we really want to be just and
radical, we could change the words “something more respectable and
representative" to “equal”).
Moral changes can come by way of making Armenian
political environments more appealing to females, in order to encourage more of
the best women into active political life.
Given a more conducive and palatable political
environment, I trust that many more Armenian females will read up on the
politics of our parties and choose one that matches their beliefs to join.
"Where Are Our Women?" is a question that has
one answer at the moment. "They are here, they are there... just not in
key political roles."
The time has come to change the unsatisfactory answer to
this question.
Sources:
“The Role of Armenian Women in the Armenian Revolutionary
Movement”, by Sona Zeytlian, Los Angeles, 1992
"Women Fail to Gain Ground in Armenian Election”,
Gayane Mkrtchyan, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, 29 June 2012
"PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC AND POLITICAL LIFE
IN THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA", Council of Europe Facility Project, Yerevan,
2013
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder
Not: Yalnızca bu blogun üyesi yorum gönderebilir.