On June 27, meetings of CSO incubator members with Governors or Deputy Governors of Lori, Shirak, Syunik, Gegharkunik, Tavush and Vayots Dzor marzes were held in the scope of the “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project.
Representatives of 36 non-governmental organisations selected in incubator groups participated in the meetings.
The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project was presented at the meetings and it was noted that the incubators have been created within its framework with the mission to provide professional and technical assistance to CSOs in order to develop their capacity in the 9 target areas of the project.
Mr. Karen Hambardzumyan, Governor of Syunik marz, attached importance to the work of CSOs in the region, as well as the formation of constructive dialogue and cooperation between CSOs and the marz administration.
At a meeting with Mr. Narek Gevorgyan, Deputy Governor of Gegharkunik marz, CSO representatives presented the problems they encountered during implementation pf their projects. The Deputy Governor expressed readiness to regularly attend the meetings, as well as to visit communities where CSO representatives would carry out their projects.
At the meeting with Mr. Karen Sarukhanyan, the Governor of Shirak marz, representative of “Compass” NGO, Haykamam Dmeyan, presented their “Participatory Monitoring for the Establishment of Smart Communities in Armenia” Project, which is implemented by “Hamazark” Coalition in the framework of CCD Project. He spoke about community issues related to garbage disposal and street lighting in the communities. The Governor expressed readiness to provide the standards for the implementation of the project, and to organise meetings with the experts.
An agreement on closer cooperation of the marz administration with the civil society organisations, so that they have their contribution in the solution of the region’s probls was reached with Mr. Aragats Saghatelyan, the Governor of Vayots Dzor marz.
Mr. Vahe Ghalumyan, Governor of Tavush marz and Mr. Aram Khachatryan, Deputy Governor of Lori marz also expressed readiness to involve CSOs in the public policy development process and to cooperate with them.
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 encourage 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 will provide 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, education and business.
