LIFE-16 OFFSITE INFORMATION PLATFORM WAS HELD

On December 16-19, 2020, LIFE-16 offsite information platform was held within the framework of “Fighting against discrimination in Armenia” project.

This time the platform united begginer activists of  LGBTI and Female Commercial Sex worker communities, taking into account the international successful experience of different communities gathering in one place to discuss and share their problems, find common grounds, discuss similarities and differences of their situation as vulnerable groups of the society, share their experiences of successful solutions to the similar problems in different communities.

The information platform is aimed at the awareness-raising and capacity building of LGBTI and CSW community representatives on the topics of leadership and human rights, enhancing their legal consciousness, acquainting them with the domestic and international human rights protection mechanisms as well as assessing the needs of the communities.

 

Sergey Gabrielyan, the president of New Generation Humanitarian NGO joined the platform and delivered a welcoming speech. In his speech, Sergey Gabrielyan expressed his happiness at seeing the active participants, and presented the history, fields of activity and priorities of the organization.

 

At the beginning of the information platform, the participants got to know each other through an interactive team-building activity, presented their expectations from the platform. With the help of the organizing team, the participants developed general rules that they must follow throughout the course of the information platform.

 

 

 

On the first day of the information platform the participants were introduced to the topic of Leadership and Activism. Trainer Hmayak Avetisyan introduced the participants to the concept of leadership, the description of leadership, the characteristics of a leader, as well as the types of leadership. He also presented the history of activism, the precedents of the movements, the need for activists to protect the rights of the vulnerable groups. The expert also spoke about the work of Country Coordinating Mechanism and the importance of community engagement in decision-making processes.

 

The day was continued by lawyer Lusine Gasparyan who presented the topic of Stigma and Discrimination, talking about the definition of discrimination, types and protected grounds of discrimination, discriminatory terms and their non-discriminatory variants.

 

 

 

The first part of the second day of the information platform was dedicated to the topic of Domestic and International Mechanisms of Human Rights Protection, ECHR which was presented by lawyer Sirak Eghiazaryan who spoke about the concept of human rights, generations of human rights, domestic and international protection systems, the European Convention on Human Rights and the procedure for applying to the European Court of Human Rights. At the end of the session, the definition of freedom of speech, hate speech, torture and their legal regulations was presented by the expert. 

 

Naira Sergeeva, Monitoring and Evaluation specialist of the Global Fund Program Coordination Team, Ministry of Health, was invited to meet the participants. In her speech she referred to the RA National Program on the Response to HIV and AIDS, spoke about the HIV infection, as well as discussed the problems and answered to the questions raised by the participants.

 

 

The third and fourth days were dedicated to conducting needs assessments among the communities. The theoretical part was conducted by Hmayak Avetisyan, needs assessment expert. Participants learned what is community, community needs assessment, planning, and the need to involve all stakeholders. The practical part was conducted by needs assessment expert Sergey Gabrielyan. Through group work, the participants singled out the problems of the LGBTI and CSW communities, planned the solutions, and developed actions.

 

The entire meeting included interesting video-screenings and practical activities, active discussions and great involvement of the participants. At the end of LIFE-16 Information platform the participants were awarded with certificates of attendance.

 

 

“Fighting against discrimination in Armenia” project is implemented by New Generation Humanitarian NGO with  financial support of Sweden.