Author Nelly Rafayelyan

Gender-based discrimination problem in Armenia refers more to women, than men, experts say. The Law on Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men does not have the capacity to effectively use gender-based discrimination and is more of a declarative nature. Narine Alexanyan, candidate of jurisprudence and Gohar Shahnazaryan, Head of the Center for Gender Studies and Leadership, sociologist, discuss the topic. 

The Estonian translation Narekatsi “Book of Lamentations” was published in Tallinn, which was sold out within a short time and printed for the second time. 

 

The Fund for Armenia Relief of the Eastern Diocese of the USA presented grants to the scientists from Armenia. ANSEF Foundation will find 27 scientific projects out of 250 proposals submitted.

According to the NSS, the amount of gambling activities in Armenia is about $ 550 million annually. And Armenian bookmakers take bets for around 16 billion drams a month. And this is the case when official data evidence 30% poverty in Armenia. According to statistical data, up to 7 percent of gambling-affected people have pathological tendency to gambling, and about 60 percent of those are also inclined to law breaking. 20% of pathological gamblers experience a real suicide attempt. In many countries, casinos are banned, while others introduce anti-gambling programs, create services. Even the consequences of the popularity and availability of gambling business are not assessed in Armenia. 

At the meeting convened by the World Council of Churches Armenia Round Table Foundation, the cooperation between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Armenian Church had been discussed. 

 

In terms of state funding allocated to science, Armenia occupies the last spot in the region. As per the Government 2018-2020 mid-term expenditure program, state financing of science will be reduced again. Under these circumstances, those engaged in science try to cover financial issues with the help of various grant program. The National Fund for Science and Education of the Armenian Relief Fund, operating under the auspices of the US Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, has been providing grants to Armenian scholars for the last 18 years. What does the fund's work in the Armenian scientific environment change?

The first Republic of Armenia was a parliamentary democratic state, which following its establishmend, created state government bodies at the cost of big efforts, tried to get the country out of chaos and anarchy, solve hunger and refugee issues, set up financial and economic structures, educational and cultural centers. The leaders of the First Republic worked hard to bring Armenian businessmen and intellectuals working abroad to Armenia, who wanted to enjoy independent Armenia from outside as then Prime Minister Simon Vratsyan thought. In the two and a half years of the existence of the Republic, what did the government of time create, which, according to Commissar Haskel, was a short-sighted government of teachers?

In the winter of that year, tens of thousands of people died of starvation and disease, and dozens of factories were opened months later, with a number of vital infrastructures, cultural institutions, universities and the State Museum. Even the national currency was established. Inside the country, non-Armenian population constantly incited new provocations against the state. The Armenian army was able to stop these provocations.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the first Republic of Armenia. How was the first republic proclaimed? Researcher journalist Tatul Hakobyan and historian Hamo Sukiasyan talk about it.

 

According to the National Statistical Service, every third child in Armenia is poor. Non-governmental organizations surveying the sector report that child poverty is growing faster than overall poverty, and poverty in the early years hinders the development of the child's potential. Social and educational centers have been set up in our country for the social support of children and the development of their potential. Knarik Garanfilian, the founder of the Family and Community charitable NGO and Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the Primate of Tavush Diocese talk about these processes.

 

From the very start of the proclamation of the first Republic of Armenia, Armenia had serious problems with its neighbors, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Months after the proclamation of the Republic of Armenia, in December of 1918, a number of political and economic disagreements and border recoils ultimately led to a military conflict between Armenia and Georgia. Armenians in Tiflis and elsewhere were massively arrested and subjected to violence. Diplomatic mission officers were exiled from Tiflis. The two-week war unmasked the deep contradictions of the Armenian-Georgian relations. Historians Hamo Sukiasyan and Hovik Grigoryan talk about the causes of the Georgian-Armenian conflict of the beginning of the 20th century.