Public announcement regarding the Constitution Day of the Republic of Armenia

Yerevan September 21, 2018

Today is September 21, which is celebrated as the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia. After the referendum of September 21, 1991, Armenia was declared an independent, democratic republic outside the USSR. However, in the Armenian society, which has been considered independent for 27 years, traditional ideas and clear gender roles are highly valued. However, any “role” labeling already limits the freedom of a person.

Unfortunately, the lives of transgender people still depend on these ideas of society. In the Republic of Armenia, transgender people are deprived of the right to private life, are subjected to violence, pressure, public slander, rejection by families, discrimination and stigma, being stoned for expressing their free will when their gender identity and self-expression outside the stereotypical ideas of society are revealed.

Armenian society not only displays hate speech towards transgender people, but it also often turns into hate crimes. In 2017, the “Iravunki Kokhm” human rights NGO registered 100 cases of hate crimes against transgender people, and in 2018, 123.

Statistical data clearly shows that the number of violence and hate crimes against transgender people is increasing year by year. Unfortunately, this is not the only problem that transgender people face. The legislation of the Republic of Armenia does not regulate their health issues either: there are no medical regulations for gender reassignment and hormone therapy and appropriate specialists, the name change process requires a psychological conclusion, and the legal gender recognition processes are humiliating and require mandatory sterilization of transgender people.

The "Rights Side" human rights NGO reminds that human rights and dignity are the supreme values ​​​​according to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. The "Rights Side" human rights NGO urges the RA authorities to ensure the equality of transgender citizens of the Republic of Armenia through the adoption of comprehensive legislation on anti-discrimination, gender reassignment, hormone therapy, name change, and hate crimes.