NEWS

Women in the world’s least developed countries are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries, according to UNICEF’s latest State of the World’s Children report, released here today.

Geneva, 23 January 2009. – The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today reviewed the fourth periodic report of Armenia on how that country implements the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

On 20 November 2006, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 2009 as the International Year of Reconciliation (resolution 61/17). It expressed its steadfast determination to pursue reconciliation processes in those societies affected or divided by conflicts, describing such processes as necessary for the establishment of firm and lasting peace.

On December 15 the event called “Universal Declaration of Human Rights according to Children” took place in Erebuni Hall of Erebuni Plaza Business Center which was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On 10 December a press conference and a concluding conference devoted to the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” and the International Human Rights Day were held at the Congress Hotel with participation of Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN RC / UNDP RR and Mr. Armen Harutyunyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia.

Today, on the 10th of December, a Round Table on the report on survey findings on ‘Sexual and Gender Based Violence among Female Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Armenia’ is organized at Marriott Armenia Hotel in Yerevan.

On 10 December 2008 the United Nations in Armenia, together with the RA Office of Human Rights Defender, the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the EC Delegation to Armenia and the Special Representative of the CoE Secretary-General to Armenia, marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

On the International Volunteers Day DPI/UNO Yerevan convened an unofficial event to commemorate the International Volunteers Day and honour the volunteers of the Armenian UN Association.

The community centre established within the framework of “Advocacy in Action”, a UN joint project on HIV/AIDS, will serve as information hub for about 20,000 residents of the city’s Ani district that has the highest number of labour migrants.

HIV has changed the world, and it is changing Armenia, too. Let’s start an “information revolution” that spreads as quickly as the HIV virus.

Read in  IREX CMSPA new supplement.

Today a press conference devoted to the World AIDS Day has been held in the UN House. Heads of UN agencies - namely of UNICEF and UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP RR, chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Deputy Minister of Health, Director of National AIDS Center, a Holy Father from the Araratian Diocese, and a specialized NGO representative were among the speakers.

Today, at the UN House in Yerevan, a press conference devoted to the launching of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign in Armenia was held.

This first origami exhibition in Armenia (open to the public until November 29) aimed at promoting the Armenian-Japanese relationship and its main objective is to raise public awareness about peace. Children, attendants of the National Centre of Aesthetics (NCA), aged 7-16 prepared these traditional Japanese origami art samples. Besides NCA the initiators of the beautiful exhibition/performance were Armenian Japanese Inter-cultural NGO, “Armenian Young Erudites” NGO and the UN Office.

Today, on the 6th of November the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Government of the Republic of Armenia, European Union, the United Nations family, diplomatic missions, international, local and non-government organisations as well as refugees gathered at Marriott Armenia hotel for two-day National Consultations to discuss migration and asylum issues with the objective of further strengthening the capacity of the Republic of Armenia in the area of refugee protection.

UNICEF announced today that rapidly growing school absenteeism and drop out rates are closely linked to child labour as well as quality of education in Armenia.