Armenia remains committed to the European Convention on Human Rights and the guiding instruments of the Council of Europe in upholding and protecting human rights.

On 21-22 October, a high-level conference marking the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia was held, highlighting the successful collaboration between the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan and Armenian authorities.

The event featured the participation of the Prime Minister, President, and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, all of whom delivered opening remarks. The Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accentuated: “I must record that the independence of that institution is  very important for the  government guided by democracy for a simple reason that sometimes the Government, the ruling team, the executive bodies, various other bodies may not notice many subtleties amid official agendas”.

The conference brought together over 100 participants from various countries, state institutions and representatives of international organisations and diplomatic community, providing a valuable platform for sharing best practices on enhancing human rights protections, especially during challenging times.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan underlined: “The Human Rights Defender institution is continuously improving its activities and working methodology. New tools have been developed to ensure the apolitical nature of our work, the methodology and tools used during the pre-election campaign period have been completely revised, as well as the format of the Human Rights Defender’s activities during periods of conflict, taking into account the observations made by international partners”.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty addressed the guests online: “I would like to wish that the Human Rights Defender and your country continue to strengthen the formal mandate of the Defender: contributing to the ratification of human rights treaties is a good example .”

The event included in-depth discussions on a number of critical topics, focusing on how Equality Bodies and Human Rights Defenders respond to crises and challenges in the protection of human rights. These discussions explored the unique and urgent needs of displaced persons, refugees, and migrants, and examined the crucial role these institutions play in fostering inclusive and resilient societies. In times of crisis, ensuring the rights and dignity of vulnerable groups becomes even more pressing, and the exchange of strategies on crisis management was a central theme of the conference.

The event also explored important strategies for promoting and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, including women, children, LGBTI persons, and national minorities. Participants discussed the ongoing challenges these groups face, from discrimination to exclusion, as well as innovative approaches to advancing their rights within the broader human rights framework.

As the conference concluded, the participants emphasised the importance of such events in promoting networking opportunities and facilitating the exchange of best practices. They expressed their commitment to applying the expertise gained to benefit their respective societies.

This event was organised by the Council of Europe Action Plan project “Strengthening human rights safeguards for the displaced population in Armenia” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination in Armenia” which is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia.