Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Nov 25 2006

CLUB OF YOUNG DEFENDERS OF RIGHTS IN ARTSAKH

SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN

The International Association of Lawyers and Psychologists has
visited Stepanakert recently. About 30 high school students, teachers
and parents from Armenia and Javakheti arrived in Stepanakert. We
have learned from the chair of the NGO Khachatur Marozian that the
purpose of the visit is to set up a club of young defenders of rights
in Artsakh, which will help raising legal awareness among the younger
generation. Similar efforts were made in the schools of Armenia, and
Khachatur Marozian says the results were assessed as positive by the
ministry of education, the ministry of justice of Armenia, as well as
the parents and teachers. `They don’t have to become lawyers, it is
important that they be aware of their right to able to defend them
and uphold justice, and fight against castes,’ he says. According to
him, nepotism is deeply rooted in the society, and it should be
battled. It is difficult to develop this among grown-ups because they
have social problems and as they often depend on some person, they
cannot rise against these phenomena. Meanwhile, the younger
generation does not have such problems yet and it is easier to teach
them. If a person has legal awareness, he is able to protect his
rights, but first he must be able to defend others’ right, i.e. to be
aware of his duties as well. There are already teams of defenders of
rights in several Armenian schools, who often hold debates. The
members of the club said these debates are very effective, for
children learn to discuss issues, ask questions to the point and
analyze. The members of the club of young defenders of rights held a
debate at School 7 in Stepanakert on education and patriotism and
thereby set up the first team in Artsakh.