ARMENIAN NGONEWS IN BRIEF
Volume 2, No. 52
January-February, 2005
*** EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE
*** DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PUBLISHED
*** VETERINARY ASSISTANCE TO VILLAGE COMMUNITIES
*** NGOS MONITOR ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
*** CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES IN ROA MARZES
*** ARMENIA DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY PORTAL: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE YEAR II
*** WEBSITE OF THE ROA ECONOMIC COURT WAS CREATED
*** GYUMRI YOUTH ISSUES UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
*** EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE
On January 27, 2005, the Association of Investigative Journalists NGO
addressed the issue of street people. Photographs taken by their
photojournalist and the Nameless Tombs documentary were presented, showing
the everyday life of street people. Yerkir-Media TV Company and Association
of Investigative Journalists NGO produced the documentary. The goal was to
draw the attention of the Government, international structures and the
public-at-large to the problems faced by street people and beggars and seek
support (food and shelter) for them. Results included: financial assistance
from the USA, material assistance from Yerevan, and medical assistance,
which will be provided to all of the street people in Yerevan, by three
physicians from the USA. The action contributed to the ROA Government’s
reviewing the draft Law on Social Support. The Law will take force in 2006.
However, as stated by the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Issues,
providing street people with shelter may be realized now in case of relevant
financial assistance.
Contact: Edik Baghdasaryan
Association of Investigative Journalists NGO
2 Mashtots Ave., #40
Tel.: 56-31-49
E-mail: [email protected]
*** DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PUBLISHED
This dictionary has been developed through the efforts of the Kamk and Korov
NGO of Young Disabled, with funding support received from OXFAM. The
dictionary will play an important role in improving the quality of education
for those with hearing impairments. Better application of signs will
contribute to the beneficiaries’ easier integration into and communication
with society. It will also help educate the public-at-large on these
opportunities. Young people with hearing impairments translators for the
deaf and dumb, and pedagogues of the deaf and dumb participated in the
development of the dictionary. The dictionary is also a training handbook,
certified by the National Institute of Education of the ROA Ministry of
Education and Science. The dictionary is intended for professors and
students of the Defectology Department of the Armenian State Pedagogical
University, those employees of special and secondary schools, who interact
with children with hearing impairments, their parents and the
public-at-large. The Dictionary of Armenian Gesture Language contains 1,118
signs, classified by topics. The signs are presented by photographs and word
explanations.
Contact: Mary Pahutyan
Kamk and Korov NGO Of Young Disabled
69 Y. Koghbatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-85-41, 53-85-23
E-mail: [email protected]
*** VETERINARY ASSISTANCE TO VILLAGE COMMUNITIES
On January 31, the Strategic Development Agency NGO presented the findings
of its recently completed Basic Veterinary Services Model project. The
program goal was to assist farmers of Syunik’s Noravan village community in
contributing to the food safety and development of the livestock sector. A
local veterinary service center was supplied with the necessary equipment,
medicines and a veterinarian.. The center carries out mandatory and ad hoc
preventive and medical activities. A revolving drug fund was created
enabling the farmers to utilize services of the veterinarian, free of
charge. Instead of the planned 30% community participation, 66% involvement
was registered. The project results are apparent: improved sanitary and
hygiene conditions of cattle-sheds, possible prevention of parasitical
diseases (particularly those transferred from animals to people), and more.
Based on the gaps revealed during one year of the project implementation and
specific needs of the village community, the NGO plans to apply its
successful experience in other communities of the republic as well,
replenishing the project with a number of new components. The project was
financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Contact: Karina Harutiunyan
Strategic Development Agency NGO
29 Khanjyan St., #8
Tel.: (374-1) 54-09-96
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
*** NGOS MONITOR ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
On February 16 and 18, the second sessions of the Protection of Economic
Competition (preventing anti-monopoly and conflict of interest) and the
Healthcare working groups of the ROA Commission on Anti-Corruption Strategy
Monitoring were held. The first working group unites 17 NGOs and the second
27. Representatives of interested departments and the ROA Ministry of Health
participated in the sessions. Draft laws on the Protection of Economic
Competition and Healthcare were presented and plans of the NGO working
groups for the first half-year of 2005 were discussed. Activities of the
working groups include: implementing anti-corruption strategy and monitoring
implementation of departmental anti-corruption projects; studying the
experiences of international organizations in anti-corruption efforts,
developing suggestions to improve the mechanisms used, conducting expert
review of legislative drafts, suggesting amendments and submitting those to
the Commission on Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring.
Contact: Abgar Yeghoyan: Commission member; Coordinator of the Protection of
Economic Competition working group
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Greta Mirzoyan: Commission member; Coordinator of Healthcare working group
E-mail: [email protected]
Marianna Stepanyan: Commission exptert
E-mail: [email protected]
*** CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES IN ROA MARZES
To raise the level of civic activism of the populations in Shirak and Syunik
marzes, the A. D. Sakharov Human Rights Protection Center NGO is
implementing the Civil Society Initiatives project, within the framework of
which Civil Society School #2 is operating. It will function as an
educational, consulting and resource center, increasing the professionalism
of representatives of NGOs, mass media, local self-government and regional
government bodies in Gyumri and Goris. The school will work towards creating
a cooperation network of NGOs and other players of the civil society. Within
the framework of the project, an institute of experts will be formed, which
will reveal and analyze problems in Armenia and specific marzes. Situation
reports and analyses on Shirak and Syunik marzes, as well as methodic
handbooks on organizing training of NGOs will be published.
Contact: Seyran Martirossyan
Sakharov Human Rights Protection Center NGO
1 Sarmen St.
Tel.: (374-1) 58-78-64, 54-29-36
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
*** ARMENIA DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY PORTAL: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE YEAR II
The Electronic Armenia Foundation NGO (EAF: www.e?armenia.am) is launching
the Implementation Phase II of the Armenia Development Gateway Project
(AmDG: ). The major priorities for the first six months of the
project implementation are: AmDG portal content (Community Gateways,
Knowledge Center, etc.) and functional development, and e-Development
initiatives, including DG market: localization (Armenian)
and the BIT@E newsletter development (Russian/English). The project goal is
to make the portal an effective information resource to contribute to
e?Development issues and present Armenia’s potential in using ICT tools.
During project implementation, the AmDG team will again connect with its
previous partnership network of project stakeholders, including Community
representatives presented on the portal (State, Civil Society,
International, Business, High-Tech and Diaspora). The project team is open
to cooperate with all interested counterparts to enlarge the network and
provide its target audiences with a comprehensive view on development
opportunities in Armenia.
Contact: Vahand Danielan
Electronic Armenia Foundation NGO
Tel: (374-1) 57-02-60
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
*** WEBSITE OF THE ROA ECONOMIC COURT WAS CREATED
The web-based information center of the Economic Court of Armenia
was created by the Armenian Public Relations
Association and Youth for Achievements NGOs with the assistance of the EU
European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. The goal of the website
is to ensure accessibility of information on management and activities of
the judiciary system, particularly of the Economic Court, and enhance the
efficiency and quality of the information exchange between society and the
Economic Court. The authors of the project hope that this initiative will
contribute to increasing public awareness on court functions and raising the
legal awareness of the public.
Contact: Anush Begloyan
Armenian Public Relations Association NGO
7 Khorenatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-79-55
E-mail: [email protected]
*** GYUMRI YOUTH ISSUES UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
In response to the lack of information available for Gyumri’s youth, the
Youth for Peace and Development NGO now publishes the Youth Initiative
bi-monthly electronic newsletter. It presents information on events taking
place in universities, other educational institutions, cultural structures,
NGOs and other spheres. Student journalists collect materials for the
newsletter. The newsletter also contains creations by gifted young people of
Gyumri. The publication is disseminated to young people throughout the
republic. To subscribe to the newsletter send your e-mail address to
[email protected].
It is worth noting that the Youth for Peace and Development NGO has
established a permanent commission to deal with youth issues and functions
by the Gyumri Avagani (local self-governing body.) Representatives of six
interested NGOs, members of Gyumri Avagani and state officials are
commission members. It is their responsibility to ensure the civic
participation of young people in decision making processes and that the
interests of various vulnerable groups of youth are represented in local
self-governing bodies. The two most urgent problems being addressed by the
commission today are youth employment and providing leisure activities for
youth.
Contact: Hovhanness Bayburtyan
Youth For Peace and Development NGO
Gyumri, 4 Gayi St., #4
Tel.: (374-41) 2-38-34
E-mail: [email protected]
__________________________________________________________________________
Armenian NGO News in Brief is a publication of the NGO Training and Resource
Center (NGOC) issued in the Armenian, English and Russian languages for
electronic dissemination inside and outside Armenia. Primary funding for
the NGOC, which is a project of the Armenian Assembly of America, is
provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Individual NGOs are welcome to submit information for publication to the
NGOC. The NGO Center is not responsible for the clarity of information
provided by individual NGOs.
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Thank you.
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Contact Information:
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Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
39 Yeznik Koghbatsi St., Yerevan 375010
Tel.: (3-741) 54-40-12; 54-40-13; 53-92-04
Fax: (3-741) 54-40-15
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
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NGO Training and Resource Center
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Washington, DC 20001 USA
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E-mail: [email protected]
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress