The Knots That Bind Us: A Discussion on the Status of Women in Armenia

Participants of the event pictured here with speaker, Maro Matosian.

BY RACHEL NERSESIAN

SAN FRANCISCO ”” AIWA-SF and the three Bay Area Armenian Relief Society Chapters: Agnouni, Erepouni and Garin hosted a profoundly insightful evening to support the Women’s Support Center (WSC). Guests gathered at the beautiful Tufenkian Showroom within FloorDesign, San Francisco to hear WSC Executive Director Maro Matosian discuss the status of women in Armenia.

AIWA-SF has been a long time partner and supporter of the Women’s Support Center; it was an honor and privilege to have Matosian in the Bay Area. Founded by Mrs. Matosian in 2010, the WSC actively assists and empowers victims of domestic violence as well as advocate for the defense of women’s rights in Armenia. Matosian presented an illuminating discussion on the status of women in Armenia and how WSC programs address challenges facing women in Armenia today. Matosian remarks, “In a society where women are educated, offered equal opportunity as men, that is a society that advances. Today with the majority of the population in Armenia being women we cannot afford not using women’s potential to advance our country. For this we have to raise our voices and demand that women are treated with respect and break away from stereotypes that demean and belittle women for the only reason to reinforce sexism and male dominance.”