On 23 April, Gyumri hosted the training course for selected CSOs within the EU-funded in the framework of “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project, on the topic ” Human Rights: RA Law “On Human Rights Defender”: The Powers of the Defender, draft law providing the new right for presenting “amicus curiae” to Cassation and Constitutional Courts.”
Mr. Marat Atovmyan, Board Member of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, Mentors’ Group Coordinator/Justice and related Sectors Mentor of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project conducted the seminar.
He informed that the Ombudsman Institute operates in more than 50 countries and each country decides on how many such structures can operate in their country and what functions they could have. Marat Atovmyan also presented the international experience, on the example of Sweden.
“The RA Law on Human Rights Defender has been adopted in Armenia in 2016, with a number of innovations introduced in this institute,” Marat Atovmyan said, presenting the provisions of the law.
CSO incubators will be held in two stages. 36 CSOs, which will be selected, from the CSOs that completed the training organised by the American University of Armenia will participate in each phase. Upon completion of the CSO incubators, a total of 33 grants will be provided on a competitive basis. It is planned to provide 16-17 grants in each stage.
The training is held in the framework of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” action is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by a Consortium of civil society organisations, which are “Armenian Lawyers’ Association”, Agora Central Europe o.p.s (an NGO from the Czech Republic), Armenian Center for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, “International Center for Human Development” Public Organisation, SME Cooperation Association and Union of Communities of Armenia.
