Completed

Creating a Dialogue Resource Network

In 2018 Civil Society Institute started a new project in cooperation with German mediation non-profit company inmedio, and partners from Azerbaijan on “Increased confidence among people living across Armenian and Azerbaijani borders and line of contact”. The project included training on conflict appreciation with community members of Berd and Movses village of Armenia, and Martouni town and Stepanakert of Nagorno Karabakh, training on conflict understanding and management of the community representatives in Dilijan, and dialogue building seminar for Armenian and Azerbaijani participants in Berlin.

In 2019, the project continued with involving also new participants from civil society from Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the aim to “Building Dialogue Facilitators Resource Network”, who passed a three-stage training in Yerevan or Baku, Berlin and Tbilisi on mediation and dialogue facilitation. The project participants will be conducting dialogue meetings bringing participants from their communities to discuss the matters of peace and war, peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and development of culture of peace in the society.

Cost: 16.080 Euro 

Dates: May - December 2019

Funded by: the German government

Building Capacity for Societal Engagement in Nagorno-Karabakh

CSI in partnership with the Caucasus Institute, implements a project “Building Capacity for Societal Engagement in Nagorno-Karabakh”. The CSI activities include organization and facilitation of discussion on women’s role in participation in the community life, training and assistance in development, funding and monitoring micro-projects supporting women–led business and social initiatives. The discussion, training and micro project activities are conducted in Martouni, Martakert, Askeran and Hadrout regions.

Dates: May 2019 - March 2020

 

 

A story to learn from - The Diary of Anne Frank in Armenia

Goal:  The project aims at raising awareness of the Armenian public and promoting discussion among youngsters on issues of discrimination, rights of minorities, tolerance and solidarity through the story of Anne Frank, presented and discussed in a variety of activities.

Cost:  59.978 Euro
Dates: June 2019 - May 2020 
Funded by: The State of the Netherlands, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Furthering Alternative Sanctions in Armenia: Assistance to the Ministry of Justice in Installing a Probation System

Goal:  1. To provide  the Armenian government with a road map for the establishment of a probation system along the lines of the European Probation Rules as set by the Coundl of Europe (Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)1);
2. To support the Ministry of Justice and clvil society organisations to constructively collaborate In the Implementation of community service sanctions on a solid, sustainable basis;
3. To reach a commitment from relevant actors In Armenia for the successful Implementation of the new law on parole, adopted on May 22nd, 2018.

Cost: 49.569 Euro
Dates: Nov. 2018 - Aug. 2019 
Funded by: The State of the Netherlands, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Armenia: a step towards justice

Goal: To contribute to the CSOs participation in one of the most closed fields of governmental activity, the field of criminal justice at the post-sentence phase. Probation service, alternative sanctions, and system of early release are the project’s areas of intervention. The main purpose of the project is to develop a transparency and accountability mechanisms that would facilitate a systemic change in governance processes in the field of administration of justice. The mechanisms will be developed on the basis of the “Support to the Probation” National Network.

Cost: 46,178 Euro
Dates: June 2018 - May 2019 
Funded by: The European Union

Prevention of Legal Violation through Awareness and Legal Initiatives

Goal: To strengthen civil society actors and increase cooperation with public authorities for pevention of legal violations and improvement of the human rights situation in general

Dates: November 2010 – August 2013

Funded by: Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Cost: EUR 154,200 

Promotion of Modern Concepts in the Administration of Juvenile Justice in Armenia

 Goals:

  • To raise awareness about children’s rights and promote legislative reform to ensure conformity of national laws with international norms and standards concerning the juvenile justice approach in particular
  • To promote the creation of legal framework for the local application of international standards on juvenile justice
  • To strengthen the role of civil society in the area of juvenile justice and carrying out rehabilitation services and promote the practical model of the rehabilitation centers in Armenia

Dates: May 2011 – November 2013

Funded by: Penal Reform International (through support by the European Commission)

Cost: EUR 120,000

Legal Initiative 2013: Municipal Elections

Goal: To protect citizens’ rights throughout the electoral process by maintaining the free legal hotline, operating “legal ambulance” cars, raising citizen awareness on their rights and implementing observation mission in Avan district of Yerevan.
Cost: AMD 7,442,500
Dates: April – May 2013
Co-funded by: Counterpart International/ USAID Armenia 

Supporting Civil Society and Transformation in the Caucasus through Sharing of Experience between Visegrad NGOs

Goal: To encourage the public in active participation in the local communities, on the national level and also to promote cross-border regional cooperation as related to the development of democracy, civil society and cooperation for human rights protection.
Dates: February – December 2013
Partnered with: NGO NESEHNUTI Brno, Czech Republic 

Promoting community-focused responses to insecurity and conflict in border areas of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Goal: To enable remote conflict-affected communities in Armenia living near the international border with Azerbaijan to have a voice in security provision and peace-building processes, and increase support among Armenian government for community-based approaches to security provision, including in the longer term, to cross-divide initiatives. 
Cost: 32.290 EUR
Dates: January 2014 – December 2014
Funded by: Saferworld/ Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Exclusion of Torture and Forced Confessions as a Ground for Fair Trial

Goal: To enhance respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms with the focus on torture and fair trial.
Objectives:

  • To raise judicial accountability related to proceedings of cases involving torture, and/or other evidence obtained through illegal means
  • To promote legislation amendments aimed at improving the situation of torture and ill-treatment application with the purpose of obtaining confessions and/or other evidence
  • To increase public awareness and non-tolerance of torture and ill-treatment

Cost: 150.000 EUR
Dates: January 2013 – December 2014
Funded by: European Commission//European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights

Promoting the use of non-custodial sanctions in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

Goal: To contribute to the criminal justice systems in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The specific objective of the project is to continue promoting the effective use of non-custodial and early release measures as a way of challenging the overuse of imprisonment and contributing to a decrease in the prison population in South Caucasus countries as well as proportionate responses to crime.
Cost: 23.000 USD
Dates: November 2013 - October 2015
Funded by: Penal Reform International (supported by UNDEF)

Coalition for rebuilding trust

Goal: Contribute to the development of democracy, promotion of human rights, intercultural understanding and reconciliation in the region.
Objectives:

  • Capacity-building to support civil society efforts to promote protection of human rights, intercultural understanding and reconciliation in the region
  • Transfer of know-how to NGO sector on new methods in the field of transitional justice
  • Establishing cooperation channels between NGOs, media and other actors

Cost: 104.000 EUR
Dates: January 2013 – December 2015
Funded by: Norwegian Helsinki Committee financed by European Commission

Better opportunities for reintegration of women ex-prisoners

Goal: This project is aimed to assist women prisoners to obtain profesison and engage in lawful activities, be empowered and not become victims of trafficking after release by facilitating their re-integration and providing them with a profession always in need. It will allow them improve their socio-economic situation and tackle discrimination. Hairdressing skills are handy and will allow them to find job and does not require much investments. The project will also contribute to occupation of prisoners while serving sentence.
Cost: 5000 EUR
Dates: June 2016 - September 2016 
Funded by: Embassy of Lithuania in Armenia  

Promoting community-focused responses to insecurity and conflict in border areas of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Goal: To enable remote conflict-affected communities in Armenia living near the international border with Azerbaijan to have a voice in security provision and peace-building processes, and increase support among Armenian government for community-based approaches to security provision, including in the longer term, to cross-divide initiatives.
Cost: 30.000 EUR
Dates: April 2015 - March 2017
Funded by: Saferworld / Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Towards a Probation System in Armenia

Goal: The project aims to contribute to the establishment of a fully-fledged functioning Probation Service in Armenia through promotion of more effective enforcement of alternative sanctions.
Expected outcomes: 

  1. Improved working mechanisms for implementation of alternative sanctions in Armenia.
  2. Enhanced capacities and attitudes of relevant public bodies and CSOs engaged in enforcing the alternative sanctions.
  3. Increased cooperation between relevant government stakeholders, CSOs and the  Probation Service to provide alternative services to offenders across Armenia.

Cost: 180.000 USD
Dates: January 2016 - December 2017
Funded by: UN Democracy Fund

Reducing torture and ill treatment through strengthening preventive monitoring mechanisms in Armenia and Georgia

Goal: The programme aims to reduce torture and ill-treatment through strengthening preventive monitoring mechanisms in Armenia and Georgia.
Dates: July 2016 - August 2018
Funded by: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Revival of confidence among border villagers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabakh

Goal: to contribute to better understanding of conflict management principles and building confidence among people living in the conflict zone

Objective 1.  To conduct seminars on conflict development and management for people living along border or line of conflict with Azerbaijan in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
Objective 2. To organize a conflict management workshop in Berlin for people, living along the border or line of conflict in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabakh

Dates: June 2018 - December 2018​
Funded by:  the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany

The Abovyan prison: establishing the culture of transparency, efficiency and rehabilitation.

Goal: To support managerial and specialized technical support to women and juvenile prison. Incarcerated women face unique and acute challenges. Making rehabilitation services available to these populations in prison and assisting them as they transition back into society will improve the human rights record of the Armenian correctional system and enable more women to lead peaceful, self-reliant, productive lives post-incarceration.  

Objective 1. Organise sustainable vocational and educational training for incarcerated women.
Objective 2. Improve the social work services for incarcerated women.

Dates: June 2018 - December 2018
Funded by: DOS/Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)