Back Strengthening support for refugee women and girls through closer co-operation with civil society organisations in Armenia

Strengthening support for refugee women and girls through closer co-operation with civil society organisations in Armenia

Civil society organisations across Armenia are strengthening their co-operation to better support refugee communities in Armenia, and address the complex challenges they face, from access to employment to social inclusion and protection.

More than 400 women and girls, including refugees, have already benefited from the Council of Europe supported initiatives, gaining access to vocational training, to employment opportunities and small business development, and tailored support for rebuilding their lives and advancing social and economic empowerment.

Building on these results, a networking event held in Gyumri brought together organisations working in refugee response and women’s empowerment to strengthen co-ordination, share practical experiences, and increase the effectiveness of support. Discussions focused on ow organisations can work more effectively together, better identify and respond to the needs of refugee women, and us communication tools, including social media and storytelling, to responsibly amplify women’s voices, while ensuring protection and authenticity, inclusion, and media literacy.

Reflecting on the event, a representative of one of the civil society organisations shared, “This event created a space not only to connect, but to reflect on how we can work more responsibly and effectively together to support refugee women. Sharing practical experiences and challenges helped us see new ways to collaborate and strengthen our impact.”

With a strong focus on people and processes, the event encouraged organisations to rethink on how they manage teams, protect beneficiaries, and co-operate internally to provide more responsive and ethical support. An interactive expo showcased practical solutions and innovative approaches developed by civil society actors across the country.

The event reinforced a shared understanding that stronger co-operation between organisations leads to more effective, inclusive and sustainable support for refugee women and girls.

The event was organised in cooperation between two Council of Europe projects implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026 – Ending Violence Against Women and Promoting Gender Equality in Armenia (Phase II) and Strengthening Human Rights Safeguards for the Displaced Population in Armenia.

GYUMRI, ARMENIA 9-10 APRIL 2026
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

This project aims to provide tailored support to Armenian authorities in addressing the needs of displaced persons and refugees, with a specific emphasis on strengthening human rights institutions, particularly the Human Rights Defender’s Office and the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The project's primary emphasis is to accompany the authorities towards operating with an advanced legislative and policy framework related to displaced persons, ensuring that the letter enjoy basic human rights per the European Convention on Human Rights and other European standards. It also focuses on enhancing the capacity of legal professionals, relevant national authorities, and civil society organisations to respond effectively to the needs of the displaced population. Furthermore, the project aims to facilitate access to information on rights and available services for displaced persons, ensuring they are well-informed about their entitlements and available support.

 Start date: December 2023

 Duration: 30 months

 Funding: EUR 1,000,000, Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia for 2023- 2026

Main Partners: Ministry of Justice, Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Human Rights Defender’s Office

Contact person: Ms Tamara Barbakadze, Project Manager

 

Who benefits from the project?
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
  • Human Rights Defender’s Office
  • general public
How does the project work?

The cooperation project will be carried out in line with the priorities laid down in the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 through:  

  • tailored legislative and policy actions
  • capacity building of civil servants, legal professionals, and civil society organisations
  • raising awareness of the rights and available services for displaced persons
What do we expect to achieve?
  • National authorities operate with advanced legislative and policy framework, related to the displaced persons, and deriving from the need to address certain challenges.
  •  Legal professionals, relevant national authorities and civil society organisations operate with enhanced capacity while responding to the needs of the displaced population.
  •  Access to information on the rights and available services is facilitated for the displaced persons.
Reference documents
Videos

Turning Human Rights standards into practice for the displaced population

 

Armenian citizenship is now easier to access - displaced persons and refugees can now apply for Armenian citizenship through the digital platform mcs-citizenship.am designed to make the process simple, accessible, and user-friendly from anywhere and anytime.