Women’s Leadership Academy | A New Program for Empowering Women

On November 30, the “For Equal Rights” Educational Center NGO launched the “Article 3: Women’s Leadership Academy” educational program, bringing together women from different communities in Armenia and those displaced from Artsakh. The program is implemented in Armenia with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The full educational course consists of 10 in-depth sessions, during which, over the course of five weeks, women will develop their skills and capabilities with experts in the field. During the first week of the program, participants met with Kristina Asatryan to discuss topics related to emotional intelligence and self-awareness, followed by a meeting with psychologist Narine Khachatryan to explore “Post-Traumatic Stress Issues: Coping Skills.”

After focusing on self-discovery and the development of soft skills, the next phase involved acquiring knowledge in various areas. Topics related to financial literacy, assessing credit opportunities and risks, business documentation, taxes, and administrative violations were thoroughly discussed with financial expert, accountant, and credit specialist Narine Aslanyan.

During the first phase of the educational program, participants of the academy had the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship skills, how to make services accessible to the public, and how to analyze the risks and successes of business, with Suren Mkhitaryan, Founder and President of CODE-SE HUB and President of the Armenian Social Enterprises Association. They also had discussions on ethics in the service sector, proper communication approaches with customers, and strategies for building and maintaining connections.

A meeting with Gayane Abrahamyan, the Founder and President of the “For Equal Rights” Educational Center NGO, followed the session with Suren Mkhitaryan. During this meeting, participants discussed the legal foundations of women’s political participation, the importance of women’s involvement in politics, and the compatibility of women’s rights with traditional values, as well as the false narratives surrounding these issues. Participants also gained skills and knowledge on lobbying, promoting their initiatives, and building effective networks.

These courses are aimed at preparing participants to lobby, promote, and build effective connections for their initiatives. Participants will be able to implement their ideas, improve their communication skills, and create change in their communities.