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On February 3, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, received the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Michael O’Flaherty, the Office of the Human Rights Defender said in a press release.
Ms. Manasyan thanked the Commissioner for his visit to Armenia and highlighted the importance of high-level cooperation with the Council of Europe’s human rights institutions.
During the meeting, the parties discussed a number of key issues related to the protection of human rights, including women’s rights, the ratification process of the Istanbul Convention, the protection of the rights of forcibly displaced persons, hate speech, religious freedoms, as well as the draft law "On Ensuring Equality and Protection from Discrimination". Challenges in the field of equality and anti-discrimination were also addressed.
Ms. Manasyan presented the work being carried out to combat discrimination against women and once again emphasized the importance of ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence as a crucial step toward strengthening the protection of women's rights and preventing domestic violence.
The Human Rights Defender also underscored the significance of educational reforms in overcoming stereotypes that perpetuate violence and inequality. In addition, she touched upon issues related to the protection of the rights of displaced persons, outlining the activities undertaken by the Ombudsman’s office in this area.
For his part, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights thanked Ms. Manasyan for the warm reception and the comprehensive overview of the work carried out, stressing the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights.