To many, it may come as no surprise. Politics is a man’s world in the South Caucasus, where women remain a legislative minority, according to recent data from the World Bank.

The study showed that, regionally, Armenia has the lowest share of female parliamentarians, at 11 percent of its 131-seat National Assembly. Georgia comes next on the list with 12 percent, though the 2012 election marked a slight improvement. Azerbaijan is doing the best, though the female presence in its 125-seat Milli Majlis still stands at a modest 16 percent.

On May 7, 2013, USAID/Armenia, Yerevan State University (YSU) and Arizona State University (ASU) marked the official opening of the new Center for Gender and Leadership Studies at YSU.

The number of women standing in local elections in Armenia has barely changed from four years ago, despite government pledges to increase participation. Activists are now saying it might be is time for local polls to be subject to the same gender quotas as national elections.

Despite the introduction of a quota to ensure women make up 20 per cent of Armenia’s parliament, the reform has failed to have much effect, with only half that percentage winning seats in the May 6 election.

Fourteen women out of the 131 members of parliament represent an increase on the 12 who had seats before the election, but analysts say a substantial improvement on that figure is not on the horizon.

A gender quota law for political parties is putting more women on the ballot in the May 12 elections in Armenia, where only seven women serve in Parliament. Observers say women are now playing a wider role in local politics
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