A workshop on "Gender Equality and Safe Workplace Practices" was held on July 24 through the collaboration of the staff of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia and the Gender Equality portfolio of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with participation from representatives of the Human Rights Defender's staff and the UN office in Armenia.

"The workshop was held within the context of work being carried out under the process of implementing the Gender Equality Seal at the Human Rights Defender's institution. It aimed to strengthen the institutional capacities of the staff in the areas of promoting gender equality, forming a safe and inclusive work environment, as well as preventing sexual exploitation, violence, and harassment in the workplace and responding appropriately to possible incidents.

Armen Navasardyan, assistant to the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, presented on gender equality as a priority direction within the framework of the Human Rights Defender's activities and the work being carried out in this area. He emphasized that ensuring gender equality is one of the priority directions of the Human Rights Defender's activities, and addressed the work aimed at increasing the effectiveness of human rights protection in this field. Armen Navasardyan also presented the work being carried out within the framework of the process of implementing the Gender Equality Seal at the Human Rights Defender's staff, emphasizing the continuous strengthening of institutional capacities in this direction.

Following this, Zhanna Harutyunyan, head of UNDP's Gender Equality portfolio, presented issues related to strengthening institutional readiness for implementing the Gender Equality Seal, addressing the importance of developing the organization's capacities, internal systems, and practices.

Reports at the workshop were presented by Hovhannes Sarajyan, UNDP communications specialist responsible for issues of protection from sexual exploitation, violence, and harassment, and Marianna Avdalyan, UNDP monitoring and accountability specialist, who presented participants with issues related to promoting gender equality, forming a safe work environment, and preventing sexual exploitation, violence, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

During the workshop, issues of preventing incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace and responding appropriately to possible incidents were also discussed.

At the end of the workshop, a Q&A session took place, followed by group work on improving mechanisms for preventing sexual exploitation, violence, and harassment in the workplace and responding to possible incidents.

Participants presented the results of the group work and discussed next steps.

The workshop became an important platform for raising awareness and strengthening capacities regarding gender equality, forming a safe and respectful work environment, as well as preventing sexual exploitation, violence, and harassment in the workplace and responding appropriately to possible incidents.

The work being carried out within the framework of the process of implementing the Gender Equality Seal at the Human Rights Defender's staff is aimed at institutionally strengthening gender equality practices, developing the staff's capacities, and forming a work environment in which equal opportunities, mutual respect, and safety are ensured," the statement said.