Some 40 young civil society activists and students of Yerevan universities learned more about gender related issues at the debate led by Jemma Hasratyan, well known expert on gender issues, president of the "Association of Women with University Education" NGO. The participants spoke about gender issues in the framework of Armenian efforts aimed to reach the UN Millennium Development Goal related to promotion of gender equality and empowering women. The event was organized by the UN Department of Public Information and was dedicated to the International Women’s Day. The participants discussed the Government’s concept paper on Gender Policy drafted with the UN Armenia Office support jointly with civil society experts, as well as the draft law “Ensuring equal rights and equal opportunities for women and men”, women's political participation, and gender quota in the political party’s lists, in light of upcoming parliamentary elections. This debate was organized in the framework of debates on human rights issues, which were launched on the Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011. It aims to raise public awareness among youth on human rights related issues and thus empowering them to become the distributors of the gained knowledge and experience. The series of these events are publicized and widely discussed on social media as well. Different UN publications in Armenian language were distributed at the event. International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

---