Armenia-Human rights and women in the armed forces in Armenia - phase II

The main partners and beneficiaries of the Project are Ministry of Defence (MoD); Ministry of Justice (MoJ); Office of the Representative of the Republic of Armenia Governmental Agent of the Republic of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights (Governmental Agent); Security Council (SC); Human Rights Defender’s Office (HRDO); Justice Academy (JA), Law Enforcement Bodies and the Civil Society organisations (CSOs).

The main objective of the Project is to ensure that human rights in the armed forces in Armenia are respected and promoted, and the role of women in the military is enhanced.

Three expected results are foreseen under the project:

Legislative, regulatory framework and procedures are improved for effectively preventing, investigating and eradicating human rights violations in the armed forces, and the commitments of state authorities on gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the armed forces are translated into action;
Relevant institutions have enhanced capacities to prevent, conduct effective investigation of human rights violations in the armed forces, including capacities to ensure full and effective equality of women and men;
Military officers, including gender advisors, are empowered to deal with human rights issues in the armed forces, including discrimination, and ensure strong and coherent leadership in support of implementation of gender equality and gender mainstreaming policies.

With a view to achieving these results, the following types of activities will be implemented:

Providing recommendations on the draft legislation and other regulatory frameworks pertaining to effectively preventing, investigating and eradicating human rights violations in the armed forces, including more specifically discrimination of and inequality among women and men;
Supporting the national stakeholders, in particular law enforcement bodies, to establish Internal regulatory instruments and procedures to ensure effective investigation of fatalities in the armed forces and full and effective equality of women and men in the military;
Establishing a platform for improving the exchange of information and cooperation between stakeholders concerning the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and execution of the Court’s judgments related to human rights violations in the armed forces in Armenia;
Enhancing the capacities of the HRDO for monitoring human rights violations in the armed forces;
Training a group of gender advisors – champions of human rights – so they are able to demonstrate professional competence and increased knowledge of the relevant substantive areas of work and provide support and content expertise on mainstreaming a gender approach into key elements of the MoD’s work;
Conducting awareness raising activities, as well as training and workshops for military personnel and future conscripts visà-vis human rights and equality in the context of the armed force;
Conducting capacity-building activities for the newly established Unit on the Work with Women Servicepersons and to be established General Department on Health Care and Social Protection of Service Persons and Veterans’ Affairs of the MoD; Governmental Agent’s Office and the HRDO to better protect human rights in the armed forces.

Project information
Duration: 24 months (1 June 2020 – 31 May 2022)
Place/country: Armenia
Budget: EUR 630 000
Funding: The Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022

Project documentation

Project summary

Publications

Project News

Back The Relationship Between the International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in Armed Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations was discussed by the International Experts with the Personnel of the Human Rights Defender’s Office of Armenia

The Relationship Between the International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in Armed Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations was discussed by the International Experts with the Personnel of the Human Rights Defender’s Office of Armenia

On 14-15 May 2022 the Council of Europe Project “Human Rights and Women in the Armed Forces of Armenia – Phase II” (‘the Project’) in cooperation with the Delegation of the International Committee of Red Cross in Armenia (‘’ICRC’’) organised a workshop for the personnel of the Human rights Defender’s Office of Armenia on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights (HR) in armed conflict and post conflict situations. The Office of the Representative on International Legal Matters made relevant interventions during the Workshop on the subject matters related to its mandate.

The workshop provided a platform for discussing the IHL and HR in conflict and post-conflict situations, where several aspects of IHL, in particular detention, means and methods of warfare, principle of distinction between civilians and those participating in hostilities, etc. were discussed․ Questions related to European human rights law and case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) were also presented and discussed. Discussions were led by Mr. Stefano PIEDIMONTE, Deputy Jurisconsult, European Court of Human Rights, Council of Europe, Mr. Vaios KOUTROULIS, Professor of Public International Law International Law Centre Université libre de Bruxelles and member of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC), Mr Yutaka ARAI, Professor of Law at the University of Kent, and Mr. Ady NIV, lawyer at the International Criminal Court. The exchanges made during the evet created a solid platform for argumentation and in a long-run seek to generate – and contribute to – a wider debate about the IHL, ECtHR case law and HR in conflict and post conflict situations.

Mr Tigran KARAPETYAN, Head of Division, Transversal Challenges and Multilateral Projects Task Force, Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe highlighted the importance of the Project and expressed hope that it will have a major impact on the future development and promotion of human rights in Armenia. Mr Darko JORDANOV, Communications and Prevention Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross Delegation in Armenia, Ms Zara AMATUNI, Communications and Prevention Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross Delegation in Armenia, Mr Hrant JILAVYAN, Head of the Department General for Protection of Human Rights in the Criminal Justice and Armed Forces, Human Rights Defender’s Office of the Republic of Armenia as well as Mr Liparit DRMEYAN, Head of Office of the Representative on International Legal Matters made opening remarks at the event.

Yerevan, Armenia 16 May 2022