Yerkir Media’s “Երկրի հարցը” Talk Show – Guests Maria Titizian & Christoph Zophel – June 11, 2012

On June 11, 2012, the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, with the financial support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, presented the translation and publication of “Economics and Social Democracy,” the second book in a series aimed at disseminating information about social democracy.  German economist and professor Dr. Christoph Zopel visited Armenia to participate in the presentation. Here, HMF director Maria Titizian and Christoph Zopel give an interview to Yerkir Media’s “Yerkri Hartse” program.

Women in Armenia: Six Part Television Series

In cooperation with Yerkir Media, and funded by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation (HMF) produced six television episodes about the challenges and achievements of women in Armenia. The segments highlighted the difficulties encountered by women in private and public life, while showcasing the positive impact they have had in the development of Armenian society. Below you can find a brief summary of each segment, as well as video links to watch them online.  Through this documentary, HMF was able to recognize some of the most resilient and influential women of Armenia who have broken barriers and who are charting a new course for future generations.

In this episode, young political leaders Nona Otaryan, Anahit Harutunyan, Margarita Hakobyan and Marta Simonyan highlight the necessity of encouraging more women to be active in the political sphere. The panelists, representing four different political parties, discuss their own reasons for becoming active as well as the reasons women’s participation in public life is imperative to the principles of democracy and social development.

Women’s involvement in the liberation movement of Nagorno-Karabakh is often overlooked. This segment addresses the ways women have coped with displacement, the loss of family, and the psychological impact armed conflict has had on their lives. The episode also highlights the direct role women played in the success of the struggle.

Members of Parliament and civic activists participated in a panel disucssion about the issue of violence against women. This segment recognized the various organizations and programs that have recently been created to proivde legal, economic and psychological support for victims of domestic violence.  Panelists emphasized the importance of both legal remedies and societal mindsets as key elements to stop gender based violence.

The reproductive health of women is a serious area of concern in Armenia today. In this segment health care experts, Karine Saribekyan, Sevada Hakobyan, Anush Poghosyan and Nelly Avakyan address the multiple reasons for increasing infertility rates, abortion rates as well as the importance of preventative care.

Expert panelists Karineh Guyumjian, Alina Poghosyan, Arman Melkonyan and Vardan Gevorgyan discuss the impacts of mass migration on women’s lives. Raising a family alone is identified as a significant challenge women face when men migrate for long-term employment. Changes in women’s roles and responsibilities in society is also addressed. With the absence of their husbands, women must continue their domestic responsiblities as well as take on tasks traditionally performed by men.

The objective of this segment was to showcase successful Armenian women  business owners and breadwinners, in order to begin dismantling rigid stereotypes that are prevalent in our traditionally patriarchal society. Women entrepreneurs and managers participated as panelists to discuss how they have become equal particpants of economic life.

Yerkir Media’s “Երկրի հարց” Talk Show – Guests Maria Titizian & Ara Nranyan – November 8, 2011

Below is a video interview on Yerkir Media’s “Երկրի հարց” talk-show, with Director of the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, Maria Titizian and Member of Parliament of the Republic of Armenia, Ara Nranyan. Watch as they discuss the policy paper entitled “Social Reforms in Armenia” , which was published by the Hrayr Maroukhian foundation, and focuses on healthcare, social housing and employment in the RA.