Armenian Journalist Lucy Kocharyan Honored with International Women of Courage Award


International Women of Courage Award recipient Lucy Kocharyan of Armenia poses with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and First Lady Melania Trump. AFP.

(Armradio)- Armenian journalist Lucy Kocharyan has been honoured with the International Women of Courage Award.

US First lady Melania Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo honoured recipients of the 2020 International Women of Courage Award at a State Department ceremony Wednesday.

The all-female award presented ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday recognizes women across the world who demonstrate “exceptional courage and leadership” in the face of adversity and who have made a positive impact on their communities.

Using her platform as a journalist, Kocharyan has championed children with mental health issues and has emerged as a leading voice in the fight against psychological, physical, and domestic violence against women and children.

Kocharyan has become famous for launching “Voices of Violence” in August 2018.  She has become a spokesperson on gender-based violence in Armenia and has continued to speak out despite harsh criticism – from people on the street who yell “shame” as she passes by, to parliamentarians speaking out against her and threatening her with lawsuits.

She successfully started a conversation about domestic and sexual violence that is slowly leading to some action. Gender-based violence is a pervasive problem throughout Armenia, where traditional social norms regarding masculinity, femininity, gender equality, and the division of household tasks remain rigid, making her achievements and impact all the more impressive.

Lucy Kocharyan hosts two programs on Public Radio of Armenia, where she raises issues of health, women and children.