A training course on “The Role of Human Rights Institutions in the Protection of Human Rights: Human Rights NGOs Cooperation with Relevant Public Authorities” was held in Gyumri on 10 August within the framework of the EU-funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project.

President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project Manager Mr. Karen Zadoyan, provided consultations on the development of public policy skills to the Civil Society Organizations that were involved in Gyumri CSO Incubator. Further, Ms Victoria Yeghoyan, the lawyer of the project, introduced the role of human rights institutions in the protection of human rights and spoke about the cooperation of the human rights organizsations with the relevant state bodies.

At the end of the meeting individual counseling was provided to CSOs of Gyumri Incubator, which operate in the sectors that are not included in the list of 9 target sectors of the project.

Representatives of 8 CSOs included in the 1st and 2nd phases of CSO Incubators participated in the event.

Civil society organizations (CSO) incubators are aimed at promoting CSO capacity building and enhancing productivity of their activities.

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, human rights, public finance management, business, education,  social sphere: social inclusion of children with disabilities, agriculture, economy, and energy.