Armenia’s Human Rights Defender participates in RISE 2026 conference in Belgrade

Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan participated in the second international high-level conference on women’s political and economic empowerment, “RISE 2026 Belgrade Women’s Conference: Building Alliances for New Generations,” in Belgrade on October 7.

The conference was attended by high-ranking officials from various countries, as well as representatives of international organizations and diplomatic missions.

The official opening of the conference featured speeches by Tatjana Macura, Serbia’s Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women, and women’s political and economic empowerment, and Tamara Vučić, former First Lady of Serbia and a diplomat with the diplomatic rank of ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia.

The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia said in a press release that, within the framework of the event, the Defender participated in a high-level roundtable discussion, presenting the progress recorded in Armenia in women’s political and economic empowerment, existing challenges, and the work of the Human Rights Defender’s institution.

“It is not enough to look only at how many women work in the public service system. We must also assess how many women have a real impact on decision-making processes,” Anahit Manasyan said.

The Defender emphasized that the progress recorded in expanding women’s participation must be transformed into sustainable and meaningful participation, while overcoming gender stereotypes and factors hindering the realization of equal opportunities.

During the discussions, Manasyan paid particular attention to issues related to ensuring the rights of women belonging to national minorities, women with disabilities, women deprived of liberty, and women serving in the armed forces. It was emphasized that policies aimed at ensuring equality must take into account the specific and intersecting barriers faced by women from different groups.

Anahit Manasyan was joined in the “Her Voice” panel discussion by Dr. Miriam Ganzfried Couderc, Head of Gender Equality at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation; Josie Christodoulou, Commissioner to the President for Gender Equality of the Republic of Cyprus; and Dr. Ramona Mihaila, Head of the Secretary of State’s Office at the National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men, Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity of Romania. The discussion was moderated by Florence Ferrari, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Republic of Serbia.

Anahit Manasyan presented the activities of the Human Rights Defender’s institution in ensuring gender equality.

“Let us continue working towards building a society where a woman’s opportunities are not determined by stereotypes, institutional barriers, or unequal access to resources, but by her rights, abilities, choices, and aspirations. Equal participation is not a privilege that must be granted by someone, but a right that must be guaranteed,” the Human Rights Defender said.