The European Union-funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project is completed. The closing event of the project and the “CSO-Government Constructive Dialogue” Conference” took place on 15 October.
Mr. Gregory Tsouris, PSC Co-Chairperson, Deputy Head of the Cooperation Section of the European Union Delegation to Armenia delivered a welcoming speech. “From the side of the EU, the idea to support this initiative was created, because of a need that existed in Armenia. I believe it still exists in a different way, to bring closer together, CSOs the actors that are outside of the Government and bring them closer, make them engaged further with the strategic inception phases, but also the monitoring of the implementation phases of the strategies. It shows that for the EU, the principles of good governance include also non state actors.” According to Gregory Tsouris, the European Union measures the success of the project by the number of recommendations created within the framework of the CCD project, and which will find their place in the process of developing sectoral and Armenian transformation strategies.
“Everything that has a beginning also has an end. Today, we have come together to present the results of the project and think about our future actions,” Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project Manager said. He also presented the course of the whole project, its objective, the work done, the difficulties encountered and the results.
Mr. Karen Brutyan, First Deputy Minister of Finance expressed hope that regardless the formal closure of the program the process will not stop, as it is very important. “The stakeholder cooperation that the Ministry of Finance has with NGOs involved in this program is largely due to our conviction that the impact of civil society organizations on state policies will contribute to more state-run processes, in particular budgetary processes, will be inclusive, more targeted and more efficient and the asset management more transparent and effective,” the Deputy Minister noted.
“I would like to see this event not as an end, but the whole project as a beginning of yet another long lasing cooperation and friendship. And with this being said, I would like to thank to all of you and to all our partners for working with us for this long period of time”, Ms. Miroslava Vitaskova, representing CCD Project Consortium Member “Agora Central Europe” NGO, said
Mr. Alexander Shagafyan, the Head of the Education Inspectorate, who entered the field of civil service from CSO sector, also held a welcoming speech. “I have to say that over the past two years, of the existence of the Education Inspectorate, we have really felt both the public oversight and the constructive support of civil society,” he said.
It should also be noted that the issues of constructive dialogue between the Government and CSOs in the areas of evidence-based public policy and legislative field were discussed.
Mr. Arman Ghazaryan, Head of Control Division of State Revenue Committee of RA State Revenue Committee, Mr. Hovhannes Avetisyan, Public Finance Expert, Ms Ruzanna Torozyan, Coordinator of WINNET Armenia Women’s Resource Centers Network, Ms Syuzanna Soghomonyan, Lawyer, Coordinator of the Government-Civil Society Dialogue of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project, Mr. Armen Petrosyan, representing the Coalition for the Advocacy of CSOs in Tax Policy Development and Administration area, Mr. Marat Atovmyan, Advocate, Member of Board of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association were present at the event as well.
Notably the event started and was accompanied by the fair of CSO Fair of CSOs’ coalitions formed / strengthened in the framework of the CCD project and CSOs.
The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by a Consortium of civil society organisations, which are the Armenian Lawyers’ Association (lead organisation), Agora Central Europe (NGO based in the Czech Republic), the Armenian Centre for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, the International Centre for Human Development, the SME Cooperation Association and the Union of Communities of Armenia.
The project aims to enhance the influence of civil society organisations (CSOs) and CSO coalitions/networks on public policies in Armenia. This will allow organisations that are already working in sectoral coalitions to access additional resources, new groups of civil society experts to come together and to encourage them to place their causes on the local and national policy agenda, to identify common concerns and priorities and approach government bodies with constructive and strategic policy engagement initiatives.
The project has provided sub-grants to CSOs and CSO coalitions for developing public policies and bringing significant changes in the 9 target sectors selected within the project, including those of justice, human rights, public finance management, business, education, and the social sector: social inclusion of children with disabilities, agriculture, economy, and energy. The project also provided small grants to 29 CSOs.
