Back Council of Europe contributes to the mediation development in Armenia

Council of Europe contributes to the mediation development in Armenia

A comprehensive mediation training program, organised within the framework of the "Support to the Justice Reform in Armenia" project, commenced on 17 November and will run until 24 November.

Twenty prospective mediators are actively participating in the training, which aims to strengthen the country's alternative dispute resolution system through the development of a pool of highly skilled mediators. The curriculum, spanning a total of 40 hours, covers fundamental principles of mediation theory and its practical application. Council of Europe experts designed a program aiming to provide participants with the knowledge and skills essential for excelling in their roles as prospective mediators.

‘’The training program significantly contributes to the establishment of a mediation institute in Armenia. Experienced trainers employ a well-rounded approach, integrating both theoretical and practical methods, and sharing their expertise to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the essence of mediation and the acquisition of essential skills. Furthermore, the training plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of community among mediators in Armenia through collaborative learning experiences’’, stressed Artak Kirakosyan, president of Civil Society Institute.

One of the highlights of this initiative is the fruitful cooperation between the Council of Europe, the Ministry of Justice in Armenia and Arbitration and Mediation Centre of Armenia (AMCA).

‘’We are thankful to the Council of Europe for their support in organising this important training initiative. It is important to recruit new members of the mediation community and revitalize the mediation in Armenia, which has not developed since its introduction years ago. The legislative changes implemented last year introduced new tools that require the expertise of qualified professionals. This intensive training program serves as a logical and essential continuation of those reforms’’, said Tigran Dadunts, Director of the “Centre for Legislation Development” Foundation of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia

This cooperation reflects the commitment of the engaged stakeholders to work collaboratively towards meaningful justice reform. As the training progresses, it is anticipated that these efforts will result in long-term benefits for the Armenian justice system and its stakeholders, inter alia by reducing backlog at courts.

The training is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

The organisation of the training was also supported by the Arbitration and Mediation Centre of Armenia (AMCA).

 Background:

The “Partnership for Good Governance” (PGG) is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe for strengthening good governance in the Eastern Partnership region.

PGG provides tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. It supports, in particular, Eastern Partnership countries’ domestic reforms to strengthen justice, counter economic crime, promote equality and non-discrimination, advance women’s access to justice and combat violence against women.

Yerevan, Armenia 17/11/2023
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page

About the project

The project "Support to the justice reform in Armenia" aims to ensure that citizens of Armenia enjoy their rights in line with the European standards and benefit from accountable and professional justice system. It supports Armenian authorities to further advance the reform of the judicial system by strengthening its independence, accountability and professionalism. It also aims to aid Armenian authorities ensure effective implementation of the new criminal justice legislation in line with European human rights standards.

The project is implemented within the third Phase of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance” running from 2023 until 2027. It builds on the results of the previous phases of the Partnership for Good Governance in the field of strengthening justice (Phase I 2015-2018 and Phase II 2019-2023).

How does the project work?

  • Through a combination of tailored policy/legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising actions

Who benefits from the project?

  • Ministry of Justice
  • Constitutional Court
  • Court of Cassation
  • General Assembly of Judges
  • Association of Judges
  • Justice Academy
  • Supreme Judicial Council
  • General Prosecutor’s Office
  • Human Rights Defender’s Office
  • Office of the Representative of Armenia on International Legal Matters
  • Civil society organisations
  • The general public, including persons seeking the protection of their rights in courts

What do we expect to achieve?

  • National authorities have the necessary capacity and tools to implement the Judicial and Legal Reforms Strategy for 2022-2026 in line with European standards and best practices.
  • National authorities align legal framework and policies on judicial independence, impartiality and accountability with CoE standards.
  • Judicial self-governing bodies’ and courts' capacity is enhanced to act in a professional, transparent and accountable manner.
  • Capacity of the criminal justice stakeholders is strengthened to ensure effective implementation of new criminal justice legislation through harmonised policies, institutional and legal frameworks, and implementation practices.


 

What is the Partnership for Good Governance?

The “Partnership for Good Governance” (PGG) is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe for strengthening good governance in the Eastern Partnership region*. The "Partnership for Good Governance" provides tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. It supports, in particular, Eastern Partnership countries’ domestic reforms to strengthen justice, counter economic crime, promote equality and non-discrimination, advance women’s access to justice and combat violence against women.

* While the Partnership for Good Governance does not include activities with the participation of the Belarusian authorities, activities may be organised with the representatives of Belarusian civil society and democratic forces as appropriate in line with the European Council Conclusions of February 2022 and the Decision of the Council of Europe Ministers’ Deputies of March 2022.