Today, the representatives of “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” and “Civil Society Support” Projects met again; this time in practical environment.
On 27 December 2016, these two organizations that are implementing two large scale projects with the EU support had their first meeting having the aim to know each other better.
Heads of the Organizations implementing Two Large Scale Projects with the EU Support met
Both organizations in cooperation with their partners have launched to large scale projects with the EU support.
This meeting was aimed at discussing the problems and issues related with the activities. Coordinators of both projects want to organize the activities in a way that will enable to avoid duplication.
Speaking about the work done and new perspectives, Mr. Karen Zadoyan, “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project Manager said that after the four-day April War in 2016, the Government recognizing the role and importance of civil society, and began a more constructive partnership with the CSO sector. “Together, we are trying to make the reforms more realistic. The primary is the legislative package on criminalization of illicit enrichment, which the President has already signed and it will come into force on 1 July, 2017. We are currently working on the creation of an independent anti-corruption agency model, and we plan to have the draft ready within the next two months,” Mr. Zadoyan said.
He also highlights the introduction of the whistleblowers’ institute. “Many people are talking about this institution, but we have decided to act and to introduce it. Last week, I presented the issue at the meeting of the Anti-Corruption Council. The Prime Minister gave corresponding instructions to present the “Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers” to the Government within two months. What are we going to do? We shall create a really innovative platform aimed to ensure the anonymity of the whistleblowers.” According to Karen Zadoyan, this is a revolutionary step for Armenia. “Often people talk about the fact that there is corruption, there is a crime, but they also indicate that there is no one who would report it. We want to create a platform where persons would have the opportunity to raise the issues and report without hesitation and fear.
In addition, the reoperation of the anti-corruption centers would be a key and important step. The issue was raised at the same meeting of the Anti-Corruption Council. Currently the legal acts that regulate and ensure their reoperation are being developed (details in the video).
“We have not forgotten the business sector,” Mr. Zadoyan said and added, “There are areas such as customs, taxation, procurement, where corruption risks and the problems are many. We decided to highlight the problems in an innovative format: through the discussion government-business associations-civil society. Currently they should be addressed by the working groups in definite terms.”
He explained that all these was the basis for the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project. “We brought the success story of our activities and incorporate it the Project,” the Project Manager said.
International Expert Carl Ulbricht presented the new project. According to him, the program is based on strengthening the capacity of CSOs, creation and development of coalitions, identification of priority issues, constructive dialogue, and all this publicly and transparently to possible extent.
Mr. Ulbricht said that the training programs for CSOs will be implemented in the scope of the project, and the incubators, which will be establish would strengthen the capacities of CSOs.
The project has a large sub-grants component totaling to 875 thousand Euros: “24 small sub-grants, up to 10.000 Euros each, will be provided in the regions; 9 large sub-grants, up to 40.000 Euros each for coalitions; 9 additional sub-grants, up to 22.500 Euros each for the development of coalitions. A Steering Committee for Sub-Grants will be created,” the Expert said.
He said that it is also planned to establish a web portal for publication of the EU sectoral policy documents, international best practices, The RA policy documents and monitoring reports.
“Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project is implemented by a consortium of organizations, which consists of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association; “AGORA CE” NGO (Czech Republic), Armenian Center for Democratic Education (CIVITAS), International Center for Human Development Public Organization, SME Cooperation Association, and Union of Communities of Armenia. Three target areas were selected initially, but currently the issue of increasing their scope is being discussed with the government and other actors in the sectors, the areas containing the problem are being identified.
Mr. Arsen Stepanyan, “Civil Society Support” Project Manager introduced the program, noting that it is implemented by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) in cooperation with Eurasia Partnership Foundation.
Mr. Stepanyan also said that the program will complement the capacity building program funded by the EU, focusing on the development of internal and external capacity of about 200 civil society organizations (SCOs), as well as on other ongoing initiatives funded by the EU (e.g., community development through social entrepreneurship – Program Code SE – Social Reaction to Labor Migration in Armenia (Together for Armenia)).
The grants component in the scope of the project is about 1 million Euro.
The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by the “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO in cooperation with its partners; Agora Central Europe o.p.s (an NGO from the Czech Republic), Armenian Center for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, “International Center for Human Development” Public Organization, SME Cooperation Association and Union of Communities of Armenia.
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