host: violence and repression don't exist here, say many women in nagorno-karabakh.re well-educated and have a big say in the political and economic life of the enclave in the southern caucasus mountains. how did that happen? nagorno-karabakh has been the subject of a decades-long conflict between armenia and azerbaijan. as a result, most of its men become soldiers to defend the borders of the self-proclaimed republic. and the absence of men has opened up new opportunities for women. repopoer: this w was once th frontle e in the conflict betwtween armenia a and azerij. e e groundn ththe diuted region of nagorno-kakarabakh s still full o of unexplodeded m. lilit amirkhanyan is in ararge a t team that rememoves them. lilit: it's s a great hononor fe to r our c country of f mines,o make i it usable agagain. as the f first fale e teameader i'm a role model, showing that women n hahave a career r in prprofessions like this. reporter: nagorno-karabakh in the southern caucasus has a population of just 150,000. the capitatal, stepanakeker, projojects a moderern image, ao the

the ground in the disputed region of nagorno-karabakh still full of unexploded mines little it aamirkhan younis in charge of a team that removes them. a stake here can be fatal the work requires the highest concentration so she calls a break every 40 minutes. it's a great honor for me to rid our country of mines to make it usable again as the 1st female team leader i'm a role model showing that women can have a career in professions like this. leg or no car back in the southern caucasus has a population of just 150000. the capital stepped on a character projects a modern image as do its female residents. but the posters on display are a reminder of the tensions in the region the military remains a dominant force here and it's primarily a male domain. elsewhere women are focused on carving out a new kind of image for the region kerryn zakaria and comes from tough a village in the south of nagorno-karabakh after years working for i.t. companies in moscow she's now trying to promote tourism in her hometown. she's especially keen to foster a sense of local it pride of. my idea was to. ex