Within the framework of the program “Strengthening of Rights Protection Mechanisms of Forcibly Displaced Persons from Nagorno Karabakh” Project, representatives of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association visited TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, where they met persons forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and presented information about the project.

The event was organized by the joint efforts of TUMO and the ALA.

Representative of the ALA Miss Anahit Mardoyan stated in her speech that the project has several objectives: to contribute to the integration of forcibly displaced persons (FDP) from Nagorno Karabakh in Armenia, in their new communities of residence by strengthening their rights protection mechanisms; to enhance access to justice and strengthening protection of the rights of FDPs; and elevate the level of their legal awareness.

“Within the framework of the project, we already have an informal network which includes the representatives of non-governmental organizations that were active in Artsakh, which now carry out their activities here. The main goal of the network is to make the voice of the people of Artsakh more accessible to the state bodies. Currently there are about 12 NGOs in the network,” she said.

According to Anahit Mardoyan, an electronic platform with innovative, interactive solutions was created within the framework of the program, through which Artsakh residents living far from Yerevan will be able to present their problems. They will be submitted to the competent authorities in the future.

Miss Marianna Avagyan, the project lawyer, said that the program was launched in February, and until now they already visited 9 communities, and provided legal advice to around 120 Artsakh residents.

“During the consultations, we have raised a number of issues, regarding which there are still no legal regulations or they are incomplete. We have success stories as well. For example, funeral allowance was not provided to a person, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs informed them that they had no basis to receive the allowance: However, due to our efforts the right of the citizen was restore it and the person received a funeral allowance. People received the social assistance money with our support,” the lawyer said.

Marianna Avagyan presented the state support program for providing housing to families forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, after which the people asked a number of questions.

The citizens of Artsakh asked a number of questions related to the use of support programs, work record books and a number of other legal problems that the latter faced in Armenia.

Ms Shushan Kocharyan, the Coordinator of the T4AT initiative, in her turn emphasized that such meetings and discussions are very important in order to have an opportunity to understand what the problems are.

“The program has many shortcomings, everyone understands it. However it is in our field to be able to constructively collect that feedback, develop suggestions for improvement and, if all public organizations are in direct contact with you, collect it, develop a document and channel it to state institutions, then the state structure will understand that there is dissatisfaction,” Kocharyan said.