Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

According to Part 1 of Article 26 of the RA Law "On Military Service and the Status of a Serviceman", within the framework of the announced call-up for mandatory military service of privates, the designation of places of military service of female servicepersons of private rank performing mandatory military service is carried out without drawing lots, in accordance with the procedure established by the order of the RA Minister of Defense. 

Considering the fact that currently there is only one women's battalion in the RA Armed Forces, it is certainly not practical and logical to assign places of military service to female servicepersons of private rank performing mandatory military service by drawing lots. At the same time, considering the issue in the context of a longer-term outcome, it is necessary to develop and implement a mechanism, the implementation of which will make it possible to observe the service of female and male servicepersons in the same battalion (for example, in the USA, male and female servicepersons participate in military training together).

To achieve this goal, efforts should be made to strengthen the principle of equality between male and female military personnel and the prohibition of gender-based discrimination.

According to Part 2 of Article 26 of the RA Law "On Military Service and the Status of a Serviceman", when assigning mandatory military personnel to places of military service, the education received, the degree of fitness for military service, as well as "other conditions established by law", which are not mentioned in the law, are taken into account. It was proposed to clarify the principles on which the wording of “other conditions established by law” is based, in particular, to clarify what conditions, in addition to the education received and the degree of fitness for military service, are taken into account when assigning conscripts to places of military service. In addition, it was proposed to clarify the content of “other conditions” for female and male servicepersons.