Yerevan - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
It is still a patriarchal society and darker skinned friends experienced blatant discrimination. - Jan 2022
Yes, all of the above. - Aug 2021
People of color may have problems, particularly African Americans; there is a strong prejudice. Also it is a very patriarchal society so that may be an issue for some women to handle. - May 2021
Gender issues are a concern here. You also will encounter dislike ranging to hatred for the Turkish and Azeris. - Mar 2017
Population is nearly 100% Christian but religious prejudices are practically nonexistent. Jews are very much admired here and perceived as highly intelligent and a role model. Because the population is very homogenous, other races stand out but as far as I know there are no prejudices. - Oct 2014
No, but there are not too many places of worship other than Armenian Apostolic. There is an orphanage run by the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa's Order) that has a Catholic mass every Sunday. I've heard there is a synagogue and mosque. - Sep 2011
I don't know about religion, but my wife has never had concerns going on her own around the city (on foot or by taxi). In Moscow, by contrast, she would never leave the embassy compound on her own. - Oct 2009
Reflecting their friendly relations with countries such as Iran and that there are more Armenians that live outside Armenia that within its borders (very large groups in the U.S., France, Russia, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, etc), I found Armenians to be generally respectful of others. Those of color might receive some longer-than-comfortable-looks, particularly outside Yerevan. Everyone it seems, is followed around when entering a store. The most glaring prejudice I noted was again what I call the 1950s mindset--namely that a woman's place is in the home tending to the kids; it seems to be perfectly acceptable grounds for divorce if a new wife didn't 'produce' a child within a couple years of marriage. I also know of instances where local women were literally forbidden to work by husbands who looked upon it as a matter of pride to be the sole provider to his family. - Jul 2008
Expressed hate of Azeris and Turks (for historical reasons). Women are treated better here than in many other developing countries but they are still surprisingly poorly treated for being former soviets. - Jan 2008
