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We welcome the activity of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Armenia and extremely highlight the launch of the two-year project Strengthening Human Rights of Social Sphere in the Republic of Armenia included in the RA-CoE Action Plan 2023-2026: The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs Heriknaz Tigranyan said, welcoming the Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe Maxime Longangue in parliament.

The meeting was held on March 13, where the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan, the Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Babken Tunyan, the Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Rustam Bakoyan, the Coordinator of Projects of the General Secretariat of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the CoE Secretariat Margarita Galstyan and the Senior Officer of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe Emma Mkrtchyan also took part.

Heriknaz Tigranyan informed that the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs is actively engaged in the works of the social inclusion of the persons forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and the implementation of the housing projects, and at the moment already the long-term projects are under discussion.

Speaking about the active cooperation with the CoE Yerevan Office, Narek Zetynalyan informed that as a result of joint works, they are at the preparatory active stage of signing and ratification of the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine. Underlining the importance of the Convention, the Committee Chair noted that it is the only international legally binding instrument on the protection of human rights in the health field.

Maxime Longangue thanked the Parliament of Armenia for actively taking part in the works of the CoE Yerevan Office. He noted that the signing and the ratification of the Convention will be an important development for Armenia. The Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe presented the new project designed for the social rights, mentioning that it is part of the CoE response to the crisis connected with the refugees in Armenia.

The Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe addressed a word of appreciation to the inner-state all competent bodies of Armenia for adequately countering and responding to the crisis. “From the first day the CoE attentively follows and reacts to this crisis, making appropriate statements. On that basis the Secretary General announced about the new project package, which includes 4 projects. The goal is to cooperate and support the power in order to be able to react to the mid-term and long-term needs regarding the crisis,” Maxime Longangue. According to him, the issues related to social rights were considered of priority, including the problems of the execution of the right to ensuring the accommodations, employment and education. As the Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe observed, the project will include wider framework and will address the problems of the implementation of the European Social Charter.

The Project will work in three directions: It officially started from January 1, 2024 and will last approximately two years. The first and biggest component will be the review of the legislation. The opportunities of the development of the competent bodies’ capacities will be observed, particularly, the capacities of the protection and advancement of social rights.

“This is the first project dedicated to the social rights, which is implemented in Armenia,” the Coordinator of Projects of the General Secretariat of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the CoE Secretariat Margarita Galstyan noted.

Within the framework of the Project works are underway with the civil NGOs showing primary support to the refugees also on the frontline to develop their capabilities for protecting social rights. The situation of the implementation of the European Social Charter in Armenia will be observed.

The Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the NA Standing Committees presented their observations on the implementation of situation, Social Charter regarding the refugees’ crisis.

Touching upon the problem of health accessibility, Narek Zeynalyan noted that the Republic of Armenia actively works in that direction. He spoke about the introduction of the health insurance system.

Speaking about the necessity of the implementation of the multilateral and multi-component project, Babken Tunyan underscored the problem of social solidarity. He emphasized in this issue the European colleagues’ support for maintaining the balance.

In the context of the short-term projects effectively implemented by the Government for supporting the forcibly displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh, Rustam Bakoyan noted that the Government will have the need of the international colleagues’ support on different planes for the mid-term and long-term support projects.