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In August-December 2014, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor implemented the Promoting Local Human Rights Activism Project funded by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Armenia. The Project covered human rights, journalism and activism trainings in eight cities in eight marzes (regions), namely Ashtarak, Armavir, Artashat, Gavar, Goris, Yeghegnadzor, Ijevan and Charentsavan.

The Project aimed to promote human rights activism at the local level through awareness raising and capacity building of the youth in the marzes. The idea of awareness campaign relies on the fact that in the Republic of Armenia, human rights protection and civil activism are not evenly developed due to the lack of local human rights organizations and independent media.

In this regard, the Project aimed to forge cooperation with local non-governmental organizations, lawyers and journalists to resolve the current human rights issues. In the long term, the Project also aimed to identify active young people and youth groups to ensure human rights protection on the community level, promote their participation in democratic processes and establish sustainable cooperation. At the trainings under the Project, the participants put forward their own short-term projects proposals, 7 of which were later chosen in a competition and implemented. On January 30-February 1, 2015, Yerevan hosted the final Project meeting at which the participants introduced the projects they had implemented and discussed the gaps revealed and perspectives for further cooperation. The meeting also covered presentation of a handbook resulting from the Project and covering a summary of the training materials and projects implemented by the participants.