It's high time Armenia ratified the Istanbul Convention, which offers a legal framework for combating violence against women, EU Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin said at the national conference on preventing gender-based violence in Armenia organized by the coalition against violence against women.

The event is held within the framework of the “Women Human Rights Defenders Take Steps Against Gender-Based Violence in Armenia” (2020-2022 ) project implemented with funding from the European Union.

It is time for Armenia to ratify the Istanbul Convention, which offers an environment and a legal framework to fight. We need to stand together against people who say that this policy is wrong. A clear anti-discrimination legal framework is needed. That's what we need here in Armenia, the ambassador said.

According to her, family is the place where everyone should feel safe. The Ambassador noted that violence begins where there is silence.

Young people need to be taught how to communicate and respect each other, and to tell that there is no difference between men and women, she added.