On March 10, Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan met with female employees of various ministry departments to discuss their career advancement opportunities and the challenges in the field.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Vassilis Maragos, the UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, Natia Natsvlishvili, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia, Françoise Jacob, and other international partners attended the roundtable discussion.

Arpine Sargsyan emphasized the importance of open-format meetings, noting that they allow not only to discuss existing problems but also to outline specific steps to overcome them. She highly appreciated the support of international partners in the process of reforming the Ministry of Internal Affairs and highlighted their willingness to share the approaches adopted by the Ministry.

Referring to the expansion of opportunities for women's representation in public and political life, the Minister emphasized that women's involvement in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system is continuously increasing, and the content of the roles assigned to them is changing.

"When we talk about the representation of both sexes, it is essential to understand that the presence of joint intellect, joint skills, and joint knowledge guarantees good results. Therefore, ensuring equal representation is very important, especially in the Internal Affairs system," the Minister of Internal Affairs noted.

According to Arpine Sargsyan, every female employee has a vital role in her circle and should inspire employees entering the system with her experience of career advancement.

"Your example is a guarantee of important changes. You are creating a new situation in Armenia today. You are an example for everyone, and I think your actions are truly significant. I know that it was not easy to overcome stereotypes, but it is important that you were able to succeed," noted Vasilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia.

Referring to the ongoing comprehensive reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, she reaffirmed the EU's continued support for achieving new results and providing citizens with better-quality services.

Vasilis Maragos positively assessed women's involvement in the services subordinate to the Ministry, noting the positive impact of female officers' approaches, especially in the fight against domestic violence and other sensitive topics.

According to Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, "There is a growing perception that women have a special value in the law enforcement system, and equality between women and men is not just a statistic. It increases public trust in law enforcement agencies and offers alternative approaches to ensuring community safety."

International partners reaffirmed their readiness to continue their effective partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Female employees of the services subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs also exchanged ideas, shared their experiences, and presented proposals for overcoming existing challenges during the discussion.

We also discussed issues related to the representation of women in leadership positions, the continuous development of their capabilities, and the provision of training.