Report: LGBT rights situation in Armenia 2011

LGBT rights violation can be witnessed in various spheres of social life. LGBT people state that there is discrimination toward them in educational institutions and there were cases when a person was bullied by a teacher because of being feminine (in case of a male person) or masculine (in case of a female person), forced to drop out from the university because of his/her sexual orientation. Scientific papers and work on this issue is not welcomed, because the stance of the lecturers is that it is a perversion and the person is perverted if he/she wants to work on this topic. A gay student was not allowed to write a paper about homosexuality as the lecturer stated that he can’t be objective taking into account his sexual orientation.

Employment remains one of the most problematic aspects of life for LGBT people as employers refuse to hire someone who is open about his/her sexual orientation or his either feminine (gay) or masculine (lesbian). Transgender people have no opportunity to be open about their gender identity and there is no relevant legislation which will allow transsexual persons to change sex. Quite often LGBT people refuse to visit healthcare institutions in case of a necessity being not sure about the confidentiality there. If they contact civil society organizations they are being referred to LGBT friendly doctors, otherwise there is a high risk that person will be discriminated and will receive degrading attitude.

Army remains one of the most challenging institutions due to its closed nature and non-written rules which exist there and lead to discriminative and violent approach toward this group of people. In most of the cases media approach toward LGBT people is biased and based on stereotypes, prejudice and has no scientific and contemporary approach. There is no political willingness from the side of government institutions to protect LGBT rights and quite often they appear in the position of violators.

The stance of civil society toward LGBT rights is not united as well. Despite the fact that civil society organizations are able to work in the sphere of LGBT rights protection and take actions for changes, there is no support from the government and public and some part of civil society.

Although there are no radical changes in the above mentioned aspects, in this report we will focus on several aspects of social life and will present most common issues and problems of LGBT community in the Republic of Armenia which were registered in the past 2011.

Read more about the attitude of society, media, church, police and achievments in 2011 in our official website

All 47 Counsil of Europe countries unanimously agree on historic human rights recommendations for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

On March 31, 2010 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing the national governments of its 47 Member States, unanimously adopted historic Recommendations on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. This is the world’s first intergovernmental agreement codifying the application of human rights standards to LGBT people.

The Recommendations establish how international human rights standards should be applied to LGBT people and contain specific measures for Member States on how they should improve their legislation, policies and practices to address discrimination against LGBT people in such areas as

- hate crime and hate speech;
- freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly;
- right to respect for private and family life;
- employment;
- education;
- health;
- housing;
- sports;
- right to seek asylum.

Additionally, the Recommendations prescribe that Member States should ensure that national human rights structures are clearly mandated to address discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. They also encourage Member States to address multiple discrimination experienced by LGBT people.

ILGA-Europe’s only regret is that the Member States did not go as far as we hoped for in some areas, particularly family rights.

Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:
“This is a truly historical development! For the first time in history the European continent came together to codify human rights’ applications to LGBT people. As we celebrate this landmark in European human rights history, we also hope that these Recommendations will help to advance the human rights for LGBT people beyond Europe. ”

Linda Freimane, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, added:
“These Recommendations go well beyond the current situation in many European countries for LGBT people and will surely serve as a blueprint for our members in working with their national governments. We will also follow closely the three year review mechanism agreed by the Committee of Ministers to ensure the full implementation. Finally, we encourage the Council of Europe to organise a campaign among its Member States to promote these Recommendations.”

The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe's decision-making body. It comprises the Foreign Affairs Ministers of all the Member States, or their permanent diplomatic representatives in Strasbourg.

The full text of the Recommendations is available on the Committee of Minister’s website.

sources: ILGA-Europe
Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Open letter against intolerance

After the government in Armenia signed the UN declaration against discrimination based on sexual orientation in December 2008, we have witnessed a resurgence of hostile rhetoric against homosexuals both in official and oppositional media. Many media outlets publish professionally unqualified articles, which at best resemble neighborhood gossips. This phenomenon could have been overlooked if the danger of mass media becoming a platform to disseminate hatred and intolerance did not exist. These publications do not even demonstrate elementary journalistic professionalism and lack any kind of homework or research. Questions, such as what is homosexuality? Who are the homosexuals in Armenia? How do they live? Are they different from larger society (even though the answers to these questions are never simple and straightforward), are never asked?

Even though the general absence of any desire to ask fundamental questions about homosexuality, male homosexuality in Armenia has been consistently described as a threat to national security, a result of accepting European decadent values or a pathology and disease, while homosexual women have been denied of existence all together or condemned in not fitting into the image of a “proper” Armenian woman.

Some of the most recent publications which disseminate hatred towards homosexuals and can potentially become a source of violence, include the article “Armenian lesbians are becoming more active” in Aravot daily (July 22, http://new.aravot.am/am/articles/culture/54469/view); an interview with the rising star of the Republican Party Edward Shahmazanov in the same newspaper, in which the prominent politician claims that he is anti-gay; and the following statement by the head of the “Sustainable Human Development” agency in Armenia Karine Danielyan: “It’s been always considered that 4-5% of humanity has such pathologies…these should be regarded as a disease.”

We believe that such statements are largely a result of illiteracy in issues of homosexuality which is reflected upon the prevalent obsession to defend the patriarchal structure of society and to present it as a national value. Nevertheless, we also realize that such statements uttered by prominent public figures and politicians could be received by mainstream society as the state official policy. Thus, several civil society groups and individuals, concerned with these developments, strongly condemn the statements which disseminate hatred and intolerance. Before inflicting potentially violent rhetoric, such public figures should realize that they have a responsibility towards larger society and towards its sexual minorities as well, including their safety and well-being.We urge all officials, politicians, journalists, teachers, doctors and all those who are engaged in public work as well as each and every individual, to get acquainted with problems that homosexual men and women face in Armenia, their socially active initiatives and to the contemporary debates around gender and sexuality.

Please, sign this petition on queeringyerevan.blogspot.com. We appreciate further comments and suggestions.

------------------------------------

Signed,

- WOW – Women-Oriented Women

- Women’s Resource Center

- Anna Barseghian, director of Utopiana Association, cultural practitioner, mother of two children

- Stefan Kristensen, PhD in Philosophy, father of two children

- Unzipped: Gay Armenia (gayarmenia.blogspot.com), (unzipped.blogspot.com)

- PINK Armenia (pinkarmenia.blogspot.com)

- Transgenders in Armenia (trans-armenia.blogspot.com)

- Onnik Krikorian, journalist/photojournalist (www.oneworld.am)

- Robyn Pirckens, art curator

- Myrthe Korf, human rights activist & human being (armenianodar.blogspot.com)

- ILGA-Europe (www.ilga-europe.org)

- Edgar H. Manukyan, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, STIs and Cosmetology (users.freenet.am/~skinsti) * Yerevan State Medical University

- The Cali Garmo (www.thecaligarmo.com)

- Tatevik Tuniyants, lunguist, Area Studier, MD

- Sergey Gabrielyan, New Generation NGO Armenia

- Guarantee NGO Armenia

- Jirair Ratevosian, MPH, United States field coordinator for the Health Action AIDS Campaign of Physicians for Human Rights (www.physiciansforhumanrights.org/hiv-aids)

- Queers United (queersunited.blogspot.com)

- David Hayrapetyan, executive director, "New Vision to Democracy" NGO, Ijevan

- Micha Meroujean, founder of Yesoudo.com

- Mikael Danielyan, Helsinki Association (www.hahr.am)

- Paata Sabelashvili, President, Inclusive Foundation, Republic of Georgia (www.inclusive-foundation.org, www.gay.ge)

- ILGA International (www.ilga.org)

- Dikran Safarian

Open letter

This Open Letter is prepared by the Women-Oriented Women’s (WOW) Collective (Queering Yerevan blog) against homophobia, hate and intolerance spread by recent publications in Armenian media as well as statements by some representatives of civil society and politicians in response to Armenia’s endorsement of the UN gay rights statement.

For background, please read:
* Hate, lies, ignorance
* Republican party spokesman "does't like gays"
* Shocking revelation by Aravot daily

To sign the letter, please visit Queering Yerevan

Հայաստանի կառավարության կողմից ՄԱԿ–ի` միասեռականների իրավունքները պաշտպանող հռչակագրի ստորագրումից ի վեր (դեկտեմբեր, 2008), պաշտոնական ու ընդդիմական մամուլում բազմապատկվել են միասեռականների դեմ արտահայտվող հռետորությունները։ Շատ լրատվամիջոցներ հրատարակում են լրագրողական տեսանկյունից տգետ հոդվածներ, որոնք առավելագույնս թաղային բամբասանք են հիշեցնում։ Նման երևույթները կարելի էր աչքաթող անել, եթե շատ դեպքերում զանգվածային մամուլը չվտանգվեր դառնալու ատելության ու անհանդուրժողականության խոսափող։ Առավել ցավալին այն է, որ այս հրապարակումները նույնիսկ չեն ցուցադրում տարրական լրագրողական պրոֆեսիոնալիզմի նշույլ՝ հասարակ հետազոտական տնային աշխատանք։

Չեն հասցեագրվում տարրական հարցեր, ինչպիսիք են՝ ի՞նչ է միասեռությունը, ովքե՞ր են միասեռականները Հայաստանում, ինչպե՞ս են ապրում, տարբե՞ր են առավել լայն հասարակությունից, թե՞ ոչ (իհարկե, նման հարցադրումները միանշանակ պատասխան չունեն)։ Չնայած նույնիսկ հարցադրումների բացակայությանը՝ միասեռական տղամարդիկ միանշանակ բնութագրվում են որպես ազգային անվտանգությանը սպառնացող խնդիր, Արևմուտքի «անկումնային» բարքերի արդյունք, այլասերվածության օրինակ, պաթոլոգիա, իսկ կանայք ընդհանրապես անտեսվում են կամ քարկոծվում՝ կնոջ ընդունված ավանդական կերպարին չհամապատասխանելու համար։

Վերջին շրջանում միասեռականների նկատմամբ ատելություն սերմանող ու հնարավոր բռնության տեղիք տվող հրապարակումներից է Առավոտ թերթում լույս տեսած ՀԱՅ ԼԵՍԲՈՒՀԻՆԵՐՆ ԱԿՏԻՎԱՑԵԼ ԵՆ հոդվածը (Առավոտ, 22 հունվար), նույն թերթում տպված Հանրապետական կուսակցության երիտասարդ «աստղ» Էդվարդ Շարմազանովի այն հայտարարությունը, թե ինքը «կտրուկ դեմ է» միասեռականներին և բնապահպան ու «Հանուն Կայուն Մարդկային Զարգացման» ասոցիացիայի նախագահ Կարինե Դանիելյանի հայտարարությունը. «Միշտ համարվել է, որ մարդկանց մոտ 4-5 տոկոսը ունի այդպիսի շեղումներ , դա եղել է դարերով ի վեր և ընկալվել է որպես հիվանդություն, որպես շեղում» (Սեռական փոքրամասնությունների շահերը պաշտպանող քաղաքական հայտարարությունը դժգոհություններ է առաջացրել - 2009/01/12 ՀԵՏՔ, հասարակություն, Քրիստինե Աղալարյան):

Հավատացած լինելով, որ նման հայտարարությունները մեծապես տգիտության արդյունք են, որն արտահայտվում է ճնշող հայրիշխանական համակարգը պաշտպանելով ու ներկայացնելով որպես համազգային արժեք, բայց և այնպես գիտակցելով, որ հեղինակավոր պետական գործիչների կողմից արտահայտված կարծիքները կարող են հասարակության կողմից ընկալվել որպես պաշտոնական քաղաքականություն, քաղաքացիական հասարակության կառույցները և մի խումբ անհատ անձինք խստորեն դատապարտում են ատելություն ու անհանդուրժողականություն տարածող հայտարարությունները։ Վերջիններս անտեսում են քաղաքական/հասարակական/մշակութային գործչի պատասխանատվությունը առավել լայն հասարակության նկատմամբ, ինչպես նաև Հայաստանում ապրող միասեռականների կենսական անվտանգությունն ու կոնկրետ փորձառությունը՝ որպես հասարակության մաս։

Կոչ ենք անում պետական գործիչներին, լրագրողներին, ուսուցիչներին, բժիշկներին և հասարակության լայն շերտերի հետ գործ ունեցող այլ մասնագիտությունների տեր մարդկանց ու ընդհանրապես բոլոր քաղաքացիներին, ծանոթանալ միասեռական կանանց ու տղամարդկանց հուզող խնդիրներին, միասեռականությանն առնչվող ժամանակակից սոցիոլոգիական, մշակութաբանական գրականությանը, ինչպես նաև Հայաստանում բնակվող միասեռականների հասարակական ակտիվիստական գործունեությանը։

Խնդրում ենք ստորագրել վերը շարադրված բաց նամակը և ըստ ցանկության ավելացնել սեփական մտորումներն ու հայտարարությունները։

Կանանց Ուղղված Կանայք (queeringyerevan.blogspot.com)

Global AIDS prevention gives short shrift to gays

HIV infections rising among gay, bisexual men while few global prevention programs target them

Jorge Saavedra's moment of truth came in the middle of an impassioned speech to 5,000 people about the paltry amount of money being spent to stop the spread of AIDS among gay men.The Mexican federal official paused, then said publicly for the first time that he was gay.As he held up a photo of himself with his partner, the crowd applauded wildly. Afterward, men from Africa and India congratulated him with tears in their eyes."They told me that I was a hero, and that they wished they could do the same in their countries," said Saavedra, who is infected with HIV and also heads the AIDS prevention program in a country where many gay men live in denial.Saavedra's coming out on Tuesday at the International AIDS Conference sent a powerful message to the world: Homophobia must be stamped out if AIDS is to be controlled.Fewer people are dying from AIDS, but new HIV infections among gay and bisexual men in many countries are rising at alarming rates.Yet less than 1 percent of the $669 million reported in global prevention spending targets men who have sex with men, according to UNAIDS figures from 2006, the latest available data.UNAIDS says these men receive the lowest coverage of HIV prevention services of any at-risk population. And experts say discrimination has driven gay and bisexual men in developing nations underground _ turning them into one of the epidemic's hardest groups to reach. From Mexico to India, a surprising number of men who have sex with men insist they are not gay, and in many countries, governments still refuse to admit homosexuality exists."It's very difficult to provide services to men who have sex with men in countries that don't acknowledge they exist or criminalize them if they do exist," said Craig McClure, executive director of International AIDS Society, which organized the conference.In 86 nations, homosexual sex is considered a crime, and in seven countries it is punishable by death, according to the Foundation for AIDS Research, known as Amfar.During the conference's inauguration, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged nations "to follow Mexico's bold example and pass laws against homophobia."In 2003, Mexico banned discrimination based on sexual orientation, and it has opened what it calls homophobic-free health clinics. The government has a national campaign that includes radio spots with mothers accepting their gay sons. Saavedra's program has earmarked 10 percent of its $12 million budget toward prevention among gay and bisexual men.Worldwide, few developing nations check the rates of HIV infection among men who have sex with men, but researchers who have surveyed some of these countries say they are finding the rates are nearly twice that of the general adult population."This fight needs to be driven by epidemiologists" who urge making this high-risk group a priority, not only for the human rights argument, but for the public health argument, said Chris Beyrer, director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins University. "It's a virus so you need to put the money where the virus is."Gay and bisexual men are 19 times more likely to become infected with HIV than the general adult population, according to Amfar, which collected data on these men in 128 countries. In Mexico, this group is 109 times more likely to acquire HIV. To date, 57 percent of the HIV diagnoses in Mexico are from unprotected sex between men.Thailand is seeing "an emerging epidemic of really unbelievable proportions" among its gay and bisexual men after being held up as an example for its success with a massive condom campaign that curbed HIV's spread among sex workers, drug users and migrants, said Kevin Frost, Amfar's chief executive officer.Prevalence of HIV among gay and bisexual Thai men was more than 15 percent this year compared to 1.4 percent for the general adult populaion, according to Amfar. Frost said the country's prevention programs ignored one of its most vulnerable groups."These men believed they were not at risk because they were not having sex with sex workers or women, which is what the campaign focused on," Frost said. "That scenario is being played out across the developing world."Complicating matters is that in countries from Latin America to Southeast Asia, many men who have sex with men, insist they are not gay. More than 30 percent of Latin American men who reported having sex with men said they also had unprotected sex with women, according to UNAIDS. Many are married."Everybody knows somebody like that," Saavedra, 48, said. "Instead of saying they are gay, it's easier for them to justify their behavior. They say they were drunk and they were really sexually excited and willing to have sex with whomever."Some have beaten up transvestites after having sex with them because they are ashamed of themselves, experts say.Even governments deny these men exist. Last year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejab said at Columbia University in New York, "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."In Malawi, that country's first organization working on behalf of gay men was created in 2006 with the backing of World Bank officials and other international agencies.Called the Centre for the Development of People, the group surveyed 100 gay men about discrimination to prove to the government that such men existed in Malawi. Homosexual sex is punishable up to 14 years in prison in the African country.The organization also found through testing 200 gay men that about 21 percent carried HIV compared with 12 percent for the general adult population."This means that we are not moving ahead with the fight against AIDS," said Gift Trapence, the organization's director who has received e-mails threatening hanging.AIDS activists say they avoid using words like "homosexual" or "gay" and instead use the label "men who have sex with men," or MSM, so their work is not impeded by the stigma.Ashok Row Kavi said he has learned the importance of carefully choosing his words in India, where he started one of the country's first organizations to work with gay and bisexual men.The Humsafar Trust found nearly 14 percent of the gay and bisexual men it surveyed in 1999 were infected with HIV. Kavi said when he told India's AIDS officials they "totally panicked because until now they believed these men did not exist."But last year they added a definition of men who have sex with men to their health planning program to start prevention campaigns. The definition includes married men.Kavi has been training health workers how to ask men if they have had gay sex and not scare them away."I tell them to say things like, 'There are many cultures where men are very close to men. Are you one of these men?'" he said. "These questions have to be sensitive," especially in India, where sodomy is illegal."That's why the word homosexual is not used," he said. "If anyone asks a man that, he will slap you."



UNAIDS: http://www.unaids.org/en
CBS NEWS: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/09/ap/health/main4335409.shtml