25. Armenia: Women give voice to and reflect on the ‘Velvet Revolution’

By Angela Grămadă

Between April and May 2018, Armenia experienced a mass mobilisation of people power, with hundreds of thousands of men and women taking to the streets in frustration over decades of monopolisation of political power. Coined the ‘Velvet Revolution’, the peaceful protest actions led to a change in government. Women are widely recognised as having played a vocal and prominent role in the protests. Yet, over 6 months later, have Armenian women witnessed a ‘velvet revolution’ in mentality, a redefinition of their own role in a society still perceived as highly patriarchal? Or is there a need for a separate revolution for the society to acknowledge, appreciate and consider women’s significant contribution, role and position in affecting change and instigating progress?

 Angela Grămadă asked women in Armenia to reflect on the events of April/ May 2018.

Women in Armenia reflect back: