ARMENIA

The Republic of Armenia’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security covered the period 2019-2021.  The second, current, WPS National Action Plan was launched and signed in 2022 to cover the period 2022-2024.

After nearly 35 years of war with neighbouring Azerbaijan a peace deal was drawn up in March 2025 over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.  

Objectives of Armenia’s 2022-2024 NAP

The objectives of the 2022-2024 NAP are set out in a matrix that also includes indicators with measurement of achievement, the ministry/department responsible for implementation, and the funding source for activities.  The objectives are based around the four pillars of the WPS Agenda: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief and Recovery, to which has been added a fifth overarching strategy of Co-operation with other countries and agencies involved in the WPS agenda. Notably the objectives recognise and support those women affected by displacement from their homes in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region as far back as 1982.

1 Participation:

- Promotion of policies aimed at involving women in different sub-divisions of the Armed Forces.

- Promotion of the involvement and advancement of women in the police system.

- Ensure the involvement of women living in border regions (including those affected by the current security situation and those women who have been displaced), in the discussion of security-related issues.

- Ensure women's participation in the process of development of national and community programmes and of decision making on climate change mitigation, adaptation.

- Increase the preparedness of women to cope with crisis situations in border communities.

- Raise awareness on the importance of women’s role in the defence system.

2 Protection:

- Ensure protection of women and girls who have experienced violence during conflicts.

- Ensure the special protection of women and girls in case of wars, emergency situations and epidemics.

- Support the social adaptation of the wives of military servicemen deployed in the military units in border settlements.

- Conduct courses, aimed at the development of first aid skills in emergency situations and/or at war (paying special attention to displaced women and women in border regions).

3 Prevention:

- Ensure participation of women and girls in activities, aimed at the prevention of genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

- Raise awareness and development of skills on the topics on women, security and peace.

- Build educational capacity, including information on UN SCR 1325 in educational curricula.

- Increase awareness among the staff of the General Military Investigative Department (GMID) of the Investigative Committee and Military Prosecutor’s Office on the protection of women’s rights in security sector.

- Implement measures for the activity of women in cyber security programmes, strengthening confidence in digital solutions.

4 Relief and Recovery:

- Provide psychological and legal support to forcibly displaced women or women at risk of displacement.

- Ensure the protection of the social and economic rights of women and girls residing in settlements affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the use of force in 2016 and 2020, including those women displaced from Azerbaijan and taking refuge in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1988-1992.

5 Co-operation:

- Ensure cooperation among all local platforms within UN SCR 1325 program.

- Ensure cooperation with countries that have UN SCR 1325 National Action Plans, stakeholder international organizations and women’s foundations.

- Study international best practice and establish cooperation to promote women’s participation in the defence sector, including women displaced from Azerbaijan taking refuge in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia in 1988-1992.

- Ensure cooperation and exchange of experience on the implementation of UN SCR 1325 and related resolutions with the authorities and non-governmental organizations in Nagorno-Karabakh.

- Establish cooperation with the UN Secretary General’s Office on Genocide Prevention.

Commentary 

This former member state of the Soviet Union has been an independent republic since 1991 and currently ranks 61st of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report (2023). 

Armenia’s NAP is one of the few explicitly to state the provision of psychological support to women displaced by conflict as a key objective in its implementation of WPS. This reflects the country’s historic experiences of genocide as well as recent traumas associated with the recent Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic conflict which led to the displacement of many families. This experience is very prominent in the Plan, dominating the objectives and measures associated with the Protection Pillar of WPS. 

It is also notable that gender-sensitive police reform is mentioned as an explicit objective of the Armenian NAP. Women in Armenia currently experience high rates of sexual and gender-motivated violence and increased gender-protection units in the police force could have a major impact. 

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Civil society involvement in development of the NAP  

Annual monitoring and evaluation of the NAP is set to involve civil society and non-governmental organisations through establishment of an Interagency Commission.

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UN Peacekeeping  statistics

At January 2025 Armenia contributed 33 peacekeeping personnel which comprised 1 male staff officer and 30 troops of which 2 were female.

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Women’s role in peacekeeping

Armenia currently contributes only two female soldiers to international peacekeeping efforts even though the country has recently approved draft legislation to allow women between the ages of 18 and 27 to volunteer for 6 months military service alongside male Armenians who undertake 2 years compulsory national military service. (https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-women-military-service/32374803.html). 

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References and sources

An English translation of the NAP is available at: 2nd-NAP-on-WPS-Armenia_English-version.pdf

Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (January 2025): 03-Contributions by Country and Mission

Global Gender Gap Report (2023) https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2023/ 

Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, April 2023, Armenia approves law to allow women to serve in army: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-women-military-service/32374803.html

Eurasianet, 13 March 2025, “Armenia and Azerbaijan declare peace is at hand” Armenia and Azerbaijan declare peace is at hand | Eurasianet

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, press release issued on 2 November2022, The presentation of Armenia’s 2022-2024 Second National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security - mfa.am

Updated April 2025

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