Armenian emigration is considered to be one of the largest migratory movements in the world. It has serious consequences for Armenian society. Many of the country's men - husbands, brothers and sons - leave to look for work and a regular income.

The women stay on to fill the gaps. Not only do they have to organize the households, they have also been left to take decisions that traditionally fell to the men. Plus, they are holding down jobs to supplement the insufficient incomes their men folk send from abroad.

Today, every third Armenian family has a woman at its head. Either she is single or divorced, or her husband is abroad trying to earn a living. She occupies a role not traditionally intended for her.

In Armenian society, the woman provides the heart and soul of the family. Her role is not that of breadwinner. Traditional social structures have changed dramatically. Forced against the wall, women have to take a more active role in providing for themselves and for their children.

Easy prey

Armenia's massive emigration reveals other consequences, foremost a shortage of men. Figures show that per 1,000 women between the ages of 20-24, there are only 775 equivalent males. Traditionally, women who are not married by the age of 20 are dismissed as old maids. A woman without a husband and children is regarded as an "incomplete" human being.

Young unmarried women who do not have children mostly live with their parents. Often they feel themselves to be a burden to their families. It is these women who are drawn to leave the country.

Still young and relatively inexperienced, they are easy prey to human traffickers who promise them jobs as cleaning ladies or waitresses abroad. Yet once they arrive in the foreign country, the traffickers take the women's passports and force them into prostitution.

Unrealized potential

Women make up over half of the Armenian population. They are often the sole breadwinners and have, in many cases, taken over jobs and positions traditionally held by men.

Every fifth woman in Armenia graduated from university. The number of educated women in former Soviet countries is high, but their actual skills are rarely used. Women are hardly to be found in politics, economics and civil society. In fact, there are no women who hold public office. Despite the population shift, Armenia's power structure remains male-dominated, offering no place for women.

According to the government, it is now time for a change. A national action plan has been in existence since 2004, aiming to improve the status of women and to strengthen their role in society.

The government has set ambitious goals to be achieved by 2010. On the agenda are equal rights and opportunities for women, as well as an improvement in their social and economic situation. Also, violence against women is to be outlawed.

Author: Britta Kleymann
Editor: Sabina Casagrande