Armenia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan, participated in a discussion titled "Empowering Women through the Rio Conventions: Gender Perspectives on Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Desertification" at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The event was initiated by the permanent missions of Armenia, Brazil, and Mongolia, with support from UNDP and UN Women.

During the discussion, Mkrtchyan emphasized the importance of joint efforts in addressing challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification. He highlighted that women are often more vulnerable to environmental changes, stressing the need for timely and targeted actions.

Mkrtchyan reaffirmed Armenia's commitment to promoting women's role and engagement in biodiversity conservation and decision-making processes. In this context, he referred to the significance of COP16.

"It is essential to adopt an inclusive and flexible approach to achieving set goals, which will also serve as the foundation for Armenia’s presidency at COP17. The event will ensure the participation of all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and non-governmental organizations, while taking into account diverse perspectives," he stated.

Concluding his speech, Mkrtchyan discussed the role of COP17 in reviewing the Gender Action Plan, noting that this process will provide an opportunity to comprehensively assess the current state of the field and propose effective solutions.