“Civil Society Institute” (CSI) NGO in cooperation with the British non-governmental organisation “Saferworld” has conducted Community-based Needs Assessment in ten borderline communities in Tavush region of Armenia. The results of the Community-based Needs Assessment were presented at the round-table discussion on “The Needs and Issues in Borderline Communities”, which was held on November 20, 2015 in Yerevan.

The Participatory Needs Assessment was aimed to ensure engagement of the community members. It was conducted in the following communities: Chinari, Movses, Aygepar, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, Paravakar, Vazashen, Berkaber, Voskevan, Baghanis and Koti. The round-table discussion was aimed to present to the appropriate institutions the needs identified and raised by the borderline community members in order to contribute to specifying and solving priority issues of concern.

Representatives from the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations, the heads of community administrations, representatives of international and local governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as from business companies and civic initiatives attended the event.

Mr. Artak Kirakosyan, the Chairperson of CSI, delivered a presentation on the Needs Assessment results. He emphasized that the needs identified as a result of the Participatory Needs Assessment might be categorized into two groups: general needs which were common for all ten communities and needs which were specific for the community in question.

The general needs included: peace, water supply, restoration of inter-community and internal roads and etc.

“Although for the last two years the attention and support to the borderline communities on part of both the public and the authorities has increased, however all these activities do not have systematic nature. The support could be much more effective, if the issues are solved based on the priority needs identified by the residents of the communities themselves. In this way the latter will feel that their opinion is important. We believe that this is the remedy for sustainable development”, - said Artak Kirakosyan, CSI Chairman.

The Needs Assessment was conducted within the framework of “Promoting community-focused responses to insecurity and conflict in border areas of Armenia and Azerbaijan” project funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The event was also organised within the framework of the “Coalition for Building of Trust" project funded by the European Union and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.