Civil Society Institute activities and initiatives are directed in the area of rights protection and democratic development, rule of law, social integration and response to conflict. 

HUMAN RIGHTS

CSI carries out activities aimed at promotion and protection of human rights with focus on human rights in criminal proceedings; combating ill-treatment and torture, protection of the right to freedom and fair trial, right to life.

We have promoted human rights mainstreaming and multilateral partnerships to addres human rights issues through:

• Establishing and contributing to national human rights protection institutions and mechanisms
• Meetings, focus groups, workshops, trainings and capacity building engaging government officials, legal experts, international and local professionals in the area of human rights protection
• Monitoring and reporting on issues connected with human rights violation and human rights protection, providing recommendations and implementing joint initiatives with state and international organizations
• Awareness-raising and outreach campaigns on issues requiring immediate response

CSI identifies cases involving instances of human rights violations, conducts their investigation, follow-up, releases statements, and increases public awareness about these issues.CSI has promoted and been engaged with the public monitoring groups over the penitentiary institutions, special schools, and NPM group under the Human Rights Defenders office. Since CSI has conducted monitoring of closed institutions; penitentiary institutions, disciplinary isolators in the army, special schools, psychiatric institutions and promoted social inclusion and rehabilitation of persons deprived of their liberty. Recommendations in line with international human rights principles were developed, presented and attended by state institutions and international stakeholders on early conditional release, disciplinary sanctions in the army, ill-treatment and torture towards juveniles, trial monitoring of the cases involving juveniles as defendants.

DEMOCRACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

CSI has been working to promote advancement of democratic institutions and has contributed to state policies and institutions to become more responsive, accountable and alert on human rights issues and open to civic engagement.

• Establishment and development of institutional structures ensuring human rights protection in line with international standards
• Contributing to democratic reform and legislative initiatives and ammendments
• Promotion of civic participation and facilitation of platform for discussion, debate and partnership on various issues and challenges
• Supporting  oversight and monitoring, providing recommendations to government bodies
• Oversight and expert recommendation on various areas, including electoral and political processes 
• Running public information 

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND PEACEBUILDING

SI conducts undertakes efforts to adress issues related to conflict and border communities, promote regional pratnerships and trainings on conflict transformation, peacebuilding, human rights, democratic confidence building, humanitarian aid.

• Facilitate exchange and regional partnerships
• Monitoring and awareness raising on conflict area and challenges
• Community-focused to responses in insecurity and conflict
• Rebuilding trust: mutual understanding and reconciliation in the region
• Civil society engagement to promote confidence building
• Uphold human rights and humanitarian law for border communities
• Monitoring and reporting
• Dialogue and debate
• Sustainable Development and Humanitarian aid

MONITORING AND RESEARCH

CSI conducts studies on human rights legislation and practice in Armenia vis-à-vis international best practices, and develops recommendations for the system improvement. CSI conducts monitoring of closed institutions e.g. detention facilities, penitentiary institutions, psychiatric institutions.

SOCIAL INCLUSION AND REHABILITATION

We have initiated projects and creative initiatives to mainstream the rights and inclusion of vulnerable groups, minorities, enhance their capacities and skills to reintegrate in social life.