GCIV is honored to host Lucy Kocharyan, 1 of 12 International Women of Courage 2020 recipients.

These extraordinary women from around the world are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of State for demonstrating exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk and sacrifice.

Armenian journalist Lucy 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. Through her dedication and resolve, Kocharyan became famous for launching “Voices of Violence” in August 2018. She has become a spokesperson on gender-based violence in Armenia and continues 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.