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On June 11 in the RA National Assembly the “Civil Society Day in the RA National Assembly” event began.

The event was held for the second time at the RA NA initiative and by the USAID funded Support to the Armenian National Assembly Program (SANAP). The goal of the event is to promote the effective and mutually beneficial dialogue between the deputies, the NA Committees, the NA Staff and the civil society. During the event discussions were held in the RA NA Standing Committees. The representatives of the NGOs discussed pressing problems revealed by them with the members of relevant Committees.

At the NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration and Local Self-Government with the participation of the representatives of different NGOs issues concerning the educational system, the degradation of the soil in Akhtala community, and the investment of the Institute of Social Workers in the communities were comprehensively discussed.

During the sincere talk the Committee Chairman Stepan Margaryan, the Deputy Chairman Araik Hovhannisyan and the deputy Arayik Aghababyan touched upon in detail every raised issue and gave exhaustive answers.

It has been noted that today in this sphere systemized amendments are necessary. The Standing Committee cooperates with the corresponding institution of the government and in future legislative reforms are designed, as a result of which numerous problems will be solved.

The Committee Chair Stepan Margaryan highlighted the cooperation with the NGOs and noted that in future more inclusive debates on some issues will be organized with the participation of the deputies, representatives and specialists of the institutions.

At the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport active debates were held. Within the framework of the “Civil Society Day in the RA NA” event representatives from different organizations were invited. Everybody, according to the study done by them, presented a number of problems existing in the educational sphere and issues concerning the youth to the Committee Chair Artak Davtyan. The speakers mainly touched upon education-labour market connection, the average professional directions in our country and the lack of the qualitative human resources. The representatives of the NGOs proposed to regulate by law and include as a subject at schools and higher educational institutions entrepreneurship courses for recording positive result in future. Summing up the talk Artak Davtyan has assessed such meetings positive, underlining that they give an opportunity to comprehensively study the problems requiring legislative solutions and be more aware of the problems concerning the youth.

Issues regarding agriculture and environment moderated by the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment Martun Grigoryan were debated.

The Director of the Community Consolidation and Support Center NGO Oleg Durgaryan presented the problems occurred after the operation of "Nahatak" (Martyr) tail dump in Mets (Big) Ayrum community.

He proposed to work out a legislative mechanism, in case of its adoption Mets Ayrum community will be considered an influential community and social programs will be implemented, which will be aimed at the solution of health care and environmental problems.

During the debate the representatives of the NGOs addressed the issues concerning them to the NA deputies. They were related to the prevention of the pollution of the Aghstev River, the provisions of the law “On the Assessment and Expertise of the Influence on the Environment” and the events directed to the regulation of the number of wolves.

The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care, Maternity and Childhood Ara Babloyan met with the representatives of a series of NGOs. The representatives of the NGOs presented the problems concerning the spheres. The representative of the NGO Unison Gayane Khachatryan touched upon the artificial obstacles while being sent to medical institutions, the order of the RA Government on the registration and use of the information on functioning of deficient tissues, and donors of organs and recipient registries, the problems of handicapped and the investment of the voucher system.

The Committee Chair Ara Babloyan thanked the participants for the debate and noted that they should refer to all problems and together find solutions.

The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs moderated by Hovhannes Sahakyan discussed legal proposals submitted by the NGOs with the representatives of civil society.

Hovhannes Sahakyan welcomed the guests and as a Co-President of Association of Young Environmental Lawyers and Economists NGO highlighted the role and activities of the NGOs.

The Head of Against Legal Outrage NGO Kristina Gevorgyan submitted the proposal of amendments to the RA Electoral Code and Civil Procedure Code to the Committee’s discussion. She has noted that it is necessary to define the compulsory participation of both parties in divorce cases at the court.

The next proposal submitted by the NGO was the conduct of child care cases in the shortest time period taking into account child’s psychological situation.

The next proposal was on constitutional reform which was submitted by Gevorg Manukyan Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre NGO. The NGO submitted a draft package within 12 points proposing a new RA Constitution, second draft Constitution, for referendum instead of implementing constitutional reforms.

The other proposals were on amending the RA Laws on “RA Citizen’s Passport”, “RA Citizen’s ID Card”, as well as on “RA Public Services Number”. Deputy Head of the Passport and Visa Department adjunct to the RA Government Mnatsakan Bichakhchyan invited to the discussion by the Committee touched upon these issues.

Tamara Abrahamyan, Coordinator of Public Network for Cooperation with State Institutions NGO, submitted a proposal on amending the RA Law on “Legal Acts”.

The last proposal discussed in the Committee was submitted by Arman Danielyan, President of Civil Society Institute NGO, suggesting that the term “torture” in the Criminal Code should be aligned within the UN Convention Against Tortureand Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and make necessary amendments stemming from it.

The Head of the NA Standing Committee Hovhannes Sahakyan has mentioned that a working group will be established for the constructive and broad consideration of all the submitted proposals in which the NGO representatives will take part.

At the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs a professional discussion was conducted. The Committee Head Hakob Hakobyan and Deputy Head Ishkhan Khachatryan met with the representatives of the NGO of the sphere.

Hakob Hakobyan touched upon all the issues concerning remuneration of guardians for people with disabilities, support to hearing impaired people, expanding the circle of persons entitled to a partial pension, protection of rights of pregnants and women with a child up to 3 years old, the need for universal allowances, and establishment of community social workers.

An arrangement was reached to organize meetings on separate issues in the future and thoroughly discuss all the controversial issues.

At the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs a number of draft laws were discussed with the Committee Head Elinar Vardanyan and Deputy Head Margarit Yesayan. The representatives of the Working Group NGO, Partnership For Democracy NGO, Equality Council NGO, Eurasia Partnership Foundation NGO took part in the meeting. At the sitting the participants came up with proposals: in particular, it was offered to draft bills on struggle against discrimination, NGOs, and Volunteers. It has been stated that the lack of law brings about problems as very often volunteers work and are not reimbursed.

The RA Law on “Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” was also proposed to be amended and aligned with the RA Constitution. Equality Council NGO member Babken Sahradian has proposed to create an independent body encouraging equality.

After the thematic discussions the civil society representatives summed up the work done in the NA Standing Committees. They highlighted the conduct of such meetings to understand the public sector’s opinion, to listen to proposals and fulfill legal gaps. The participants of the thematic discussions have mentioned that there have been effective considerations at the Committees.

Shaun McNally, Chief of Party, SANAP, attached a great importance to the continuity of such events and the necessity of parliament’s constructive cooperation with civil society.

The Head of the NA Public Relations and Media Department Arsen Babayan and the SANAP representative Nune Pepanyan touched upon NGOs’ inquiries and proposals.