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On November 28, 2007 a conference on “Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Armenia: Situation and Protection Guarantees” took place in Tigran Mets Hall of the Armenia Marriott Hotel. There were representatives from various NGOs of Armenia, international foundations and organizations based in Armenia and Members of Parliament at the conference.

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The conference was organized by Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia (OSIAF-Armenia) within a three-year project “Human Rights Strengthening through Capacity Building of Selected NGOs”, funded by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and OSIAF-Armenia. Within the project framework, the six organizations, “Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly Vanadzor Office”, “Fund against the Violation of Law”, “Unison” NGO for Support of People with Special Needs, “Collaboration for Democracy”, “Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression”, and “A.D. Sakharov Human Rights Protection Armenian Center” are awarded with grant projects and they implement projects directed towards protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.
During the conference the organizations presented their projects of 2006-2007 and the results.
1. “Unison” NGO implements a project titled “Promoting a More Inclusive Society for People with Disabilities in Armenia”. The project aimed at promoting accessible physical environment for people with limited mobility, protecting electoral rights of disabled voters, challenging disability stereotypes, and promoting economical rights of people with disabilities. As a result of the project this NGO created the first Center for Independent Living in Armenia.
2. Collaboration for Democracy Center implements “Religious Tolerance in Armenia” project. The project was directed towards public awareness raising on various religions, beliefs. Regular meetings and round tables were organized within the framework of the project. As a result of the project “Society and Religion” journal has been published. It is planned to publish an annual report to summarize the situation of religious rights in Armenia.
3. The coordinator of HCA Vanadzor, Arthur Sakunts, presented the mechanisms for quick reaction to human rights violations in Lori region of Armenia through strengthening of the potential and increasing effectiveness of Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly Vanadzor office activities. The project covered 5 towns of Lori region: Vanadzor, Stepanavan, Tashir, Alaverdi and Spitak. During the first year the following activities have been implemented:
• Assessment of the human rights capacities and human rights situation in Lori region and preparation of a report
• Formation of a quick reaction groups
• Organization of six seminars for the group (HR monitoring mechanisms and methodology, Monitoring of pre-election campaign, Monitoring of TV and printed media during pre-election campaign, implementation of observing mission, HR monitoring, creation of a web-portal)
• Monitoring of Parliamentary elections in 2007
• Carrying out monitoring in closed and semi-closed institutions (Vanadzor children’s home, psychological dispenser and Vanadzor Old Aged Home)
• Creation of a web portal on HR situation in Lori region: www.hrlori.am
• Publication of “HR Situation in Lori Region” report
A separate component of the project is the development of PR. During the whole course of the project the information on the implemented activities and the results were publicized through press conferences and publications.
  4. The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression implements its project aiming at:
• improvement of regional mass media activities
• protection of public interests
• investigation of facts of hidden censorship and development of mechanisms to fight against them
• development of freedom of speech and pluralism of mass media
• protection of rights of journalists and media outlets, raising their professionalism and responsibility towards the audience
• increasing the role of mass media towards satisfaction of public requirement for information
5. The head of the Fund against Violation of Law, Zhora Khachatryan, presented the goals of the protection of social-economic rights: to raise the level of “protectedness” of social-economic rights of vulnerable layers of the population, through formation of public control over the public authorities in fulfillment of their constitutional and international obligations and responsibilities. The organization wants to investigate and raise issues related to protection of privacy and labor rights, their nature, and reasons, and to come up with recommendations for finding solutions. Due to the project the Civil Centers founded by the organization in Kapan, Yeghegnadzor, Sisian, Vayq and Meghri will become more active, while a new Civil Center will be established in the city of Berd (Tavush marz).
6. The head of A.D. Sakharov Human Rights Protection Armenian Center, Levon Nersisyan, presented the project within the framework of which they provided free legal consultations and legal aid to vulnerable layers of rural communities, small towns and Yerevan. The Center investigated a series of fundamental issues both in legislative and law enforcement practice, researched the current legislation and presented relevant applications and suggestions to relevant state bodies. Through the analysis of various cases, the main driving forces of mass violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Armenia have been revealed.
Each of the organizations worked out the activities for the second year which will start on December 1, 2007.