As we have already informed the monitoring of the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights and its Implementation Action Plan is underway under the “Promoting of Straight Democracy for Strengthening Human Rights in Armenia” project. The project traditionally provides the public with summary information on the monitoring results, covering specific areas of the Action Plan each week. Previous materials have already provided to the public attention the information on the activities carried out by the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the RA Ministry of Defense, information on some of the work done by the RA Police, as well as the RA Ministry of Justice. This week we will refer to another part of the work carried out by the RA Ministry of Justice within the framework of the action plan, presenting the work done in the areas of equality and non-discrimination.
Measures to be taken regularly under the 2020-2022 National Action Plan for the Protection of Human Rights include training in accordance with international standards on the topic of equality and non-discrimination: target indicator for investigators – 8%, for prosecutors – 11% and for judges – 68%. The topic of training has been included in the annual training program of the RA Academy of Justice in 2020 in certain formats in the course entitled “Current issues in ensuring equality and non-discrimination”, however no actual training has been provided yet.
Measures to be taken regularly in 2020-2022 to raise awareness on equality and non- discrimination on all grounds include the preparation of at least 3 sets of informational materials on equality of rights and non-discrimination including on legal remedies; at least 3 video recordings dedicated to the equality of rights and non-discrimination; at least 5 awareness-raising campaigns dedicated to the equality of rights and non-discrimination.
In the scope of this measures with the financial support of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF, the “Protection of Human Rights in Armenia” program has developed and disseminated 2 videos on all possible platforms, including television. Information posters and leaflets were printed and distributed in 300 copies; the poster was posted on a billboard in a publicly visible place.
The scope of hate speech awareness-raising measures in 2020-2022 include the preparation of at least 5 sets of informational materials on hate speech; at least 3 video recordings dedicated to the prohibition of hate speech and dissemination through the media; at least 2 awareness-raising campaigns dedicated to hate speech. Currently, the preparatory works of the awareness campaign are being carried out together with the RA Human Rights Defender’s Office; the concept of the campaign is being developed.
Measure to establish legislation on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and guarantees of their social inclusion was also envisaged in the field of equality and non-discrimination during the first half of 2020. The bill of the Law on Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of Armenia has been drafted and circulated in accordance with the established procedure, enshrining principles based on human rights. The draft law was sent to the departments and interested non-governmental organizations. The received proposals were summarized, as a result of which the amended draft law “On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” was submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. In order to provide a legal basis for the introduction of a new model of disability assessment based on human rights, the bill of the Law on the Assessment of a Person’s Functionality has been developed and put into circulation in accordance with the established procedure. It was presented to the RA Prime Minister’s Office as well.
More detailed monitoring results in the above and other areas will be presented in the monitoring report, which will be prepared after the completion of the research field work. A package of recommendations aimed at improving the implementation of the National Strategy for the protection of human rights in the country as a whole will be presented to the competent authorities as well.
This publication has been produced in the scope of the “Promoting Direct Democracy for Strengthening Human Rights in Armenia” project implemented in the framework of the “Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility” project funded by the European Union
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the fellow for the “Promoting Direct Democracy for Strengthening of Human Rights in Armenia” project and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.