17-19 July 2007
"Iravunk" Newspaper
"Public Awareness as Daily Problem: The Second Generation Reforms should start from the Judiciary System"
The seminar “The Role of Right Protective Organizations in the Protection of Human Rights,” which was organized by the Human Rights Committee of the Armenian Young Lawyers Association and the law Foundation of Armenia was held yesterday. The discussion was aimed at raising the role and importance of the right protective organizations; to elaborate efficient mechanisms for their cooperation with the governmental bodies. It provided opportunity to work out more effective suggestions for elaboration of new approaches referring to the protection of human rights in Armenia and their introduction to the attention of the relevant interested structures.
Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Young Lawyers Association, attached importance to human rights protection issues. According to him we have problems in this sphere, which should be solved with joint efforts. The AYLA President noted the awareness on the rights as a daily issue. This referred to the provinces first. The State lacks complex program to realize its duty, and at the same time the right protective NGOs lack corresponding resources. Mr. Zadoyan thinks that this problem may be solved through cooperation of relevant state structures with the right protective NGOs, which will provide opportunity to establish a complex governmental public awareness program, and at the same time establish legal resource centers in the rural communities where the population will obtain legal information of their concern. Such practice has been applied in a number of Eastern European countries for several years already.
Mr. Zadoyan is sure that the second generation reforms, which recently are much spoken about, should start from the Judiciary System. He also emphasizes the necessity of empowerment of the right protective structures in this sphere. However these empowerments should not be realized through grants only. The state should have its notable support as well.
Ms. Arevik Petrosyan, Charwoman of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly expressed willingness to establish links and cooperate with all the interested parties and noted the importance to initiate definite actions.
L. Grigoryan
