On 16 January 2017, the RA President Serzh Sargsyan signed the new the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Non-Governmental Organizations, which was adopted by the RA NA. The new law provides new regulations related to the volunteer work.
Although volunteering has always been and remains a key element of civic activism, however the legislation on labor relations arising during the volunteer work was incomplete, which in particular hampered to the involvement of volunteers or using the volunteer work legally in the extensive and projects of public importance implemented by the NGOs. The NGO may have actual or possible beneficiaries as provided in its goals and objectives, as well as involve volunteers in its activities. The proposed amendments set out legal mechanisms regulating the legal work of the NGO beneficiaries as well as for the protection of the rights of beneficiaries.
Specifically, pursuant to Part 7 of Article 16 of the Law: “represent and defend the rights and legitimate interests of the organization, its members, beneficiaries and volunteers in other organizations, courts, state and local government bodies.”
Pursuant to Article 17:
1. The Organization may have actual or possible beneficiaries pursuant its goals and objectives, as well as involve volunteers in its activities.
Articles 17, 18 and 24 provide regulations of volunteer work, the terms and conditions of their involvement in NGO activities, their registration and number of the volunteers.
It should be noted that the justification of this act provides the definition of volunteers:
“Citizens who, pursuant to the procedure provided in the contract signed with the organization perform certain work, activities or realize certain activities for its beneficiaries on their own expense or on the expense of the organization, without expectation of any compensation.”
The article is prepared in the framework of “Evidence-based Advocacy for Reform” project implemented with support of the German International Cooperation (GIZ).
