Today, March 8th, marks International Women’s Day — a day to not only celebrate the strength and resilience of women, but also commit ourselves to support and empower our daughters.
Like the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, International Women’s Day originates from socialist ideals, beginning with labor and suffrage movements in the early 1900s. From its inception, the ARF has enlisted women in all aspects of its work. Women have been a part of this Organization as long as it has existed. From taking up arms in the days of the fedayees to the liberation of Artsakh, from the halls of Parliament of the First Republic to the halls of academia and beyond, the participation of women in our Cause has been considerable and invaluable.
Grasping onto our ideological foundations, we stand firmly in support of equality and equity for all women worldwide. We condemn all forms of repression and violence against women.
Unfortunately, our ideological imperative toward women’s rights has not always found its way in our organizational life. In fact, successive World Congress decisions which our Region has been proud to have championed, and ensuing rhetorical proclamations about equal representation by higher bodies have remained on paper, leaving us much work to do in that vein. Our statements about women’s rights have not transformed themselves into actual efforts in our work in Armenia.
It is for all these reasons that today and always, we stand for women’s rights and liberties — in our Organization, in our Homeland, in the United States where we live and function, and indeed worldwide.
Our morality compels us.
Our ideology ignites us.
Our Program (Dzrakir) propels us.
ARF-D Western USA Central Committee
March 8, 2023
