On June 22, 2018 Roundtable discussion on Human Rights Protection, Manifestations of Discrimination, Human Rights Activities and Access to Healthcare was held by New Generation Humanitarian NGO.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Armenia, Petr Mikyska, Norwegian Helsinki Committee Representative Lene Wetteland, Head of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office Artur Sakunts, representative of the EU delegation to Armenia, representatives from RA Ministry of Healthcare, representatives of local and international organizations, representatives of LGBTI community attended the meeting.
The goal of the roundtable-discussion was to raise the awareness of state authorities, diplomatic missions, representatives of local and international organizations on manifestations of SOGI-based discrimination, criminal cases on SOGI-based discrimination, intolerant and discriminatory attitude by law enforcement authorities, judicial system, existing legislative gaps and need for ensuring access to healthcare services among all the groups of the society and to submit relevant suggestions and recommendations to address these issues.
Before passing to the main agenda of the discussion NGNGO president Sergey Gabrielyan and some of the guests of the meeting made a welcoming speech.
NGNGO President Sergey Gabrielyan thanked all the guests, state officials and representatives of different organizations and groups for attending the meeting and for their readiness for cooperation.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Armenia, Petr Mikyska thanked the NGO for the invitation, emphasized the willingness of the Czech Republic and the Embassy to collaborate with the Armenian CSOs in the fight against discrimination, promised their support in antidiscrimination activities and expressed hopes for future cooperation. He also mentioned that next week new collaboration between the Czech Republic of Armenia and New Generation Humanitarian NGO was to be launched next week aimed at revealing and registering cases of discrimination by situation testing․
Norwegian Helsinki Committee Representative Lene Wetteland mentioned that she had just arrived from Norway where LGBT+ pride was being celebrated and she expressed the hope that one day freedom and diversity will prevail in Armenia as well.
Head of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office Artur Sakunts stated the importance of diversity as natural characteristic inherently given to the humankind. Mr. Sakunts also noted that there was a lot of work to do in the newly established political situation the Armenia is in, starting from the educational institutions. He also mentioned that the new government gave hopes for improvements and we all could allow ourselves to be more optimistic for the future.
The representative of the EU delegation to Armenia emphasized in her speech the point that we were all born equal and we all had equal rights. She also stressed the importance of youth education in antidiscrimination and tolerance issues.
After welcoming speeches, NGNGO lawyers, advocates and experts delivered the following reports:
1. Lawyer Anahit Mkrtchyan – Comprehensive Report on Cases of SOGI-based Discrimination
2. Defense lawyer Ara Gharagyozyan – Criminal Cases on SOGI-based Discrimination
3. Defense lawyer Maro Khachaturyan – Civil and Administrative Litigation Cases on SOGI-based Discrimination
4. Legal expert, defense lawyer Haykuhi Harutyunyan – Law draft on Sex Reassignment Surgeries and Legal Gender Recognition, Advocacy Plan on Exclusion of Discriminatory Restriction for Blood Donation of GBT people.
5. Budgeting expert Aharon Barseghyan - National Funding Gaps Assessment of HIV-related Services for MSM and Trans People
6. HIV Cascade expert Alik Ustyan – National Report on Cascade of HIV-related Services among MSM and Trans People
During the presentation of Criminal Cases on SOGI-based Discrimination, two trans people who had faced discrimination and human rights violations not only by the society but also by law enforcement and judicial authorities, spoke about the criminal cases illegally launched against them, violent attitude and beatings they had been subjected to by the police and other officials because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The representative of RA Ministry of Healthcare, The Global Fund Program Coordination Team Manager Hasmik Harutyunyan admitted that there were many legislative and sublegislative gaps in the legal framework and regulations in the field of Healthcare in Armenia. And these gaps prevent the medical and professional improvements and inclusion of relevant regulations in the field. She also stated that some legal acts and regulations were old, outdated and needed to be changed. She promised to submit all the issues and suggestions raised during the meeting personally to the Minister of Healthcare or relevant Deputy Ministers. She expressed a belief that through common efforts it would be possible to achieve the desired results and goals by 2019.
The meeting went on in the atmosphere of active discussions and open exchange of information which contributed to revelation and discussion of different problems in the field of healthcare, judicial and educational system, as well as to the trust-building and establishment of cooperation among present human rights and healthcare organizations and institutions in common fight against stigma and discrimination existing in the society.
The round – table discussion was organized within the framework of “Capacity building and empowerment for protection of human rights of LGBTI people in Armenia”, “Promoting the Human Rights of LGBTI People in the Armenian Society” and “Right to Health” projects implemented with the financial support of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, USAID and ECOM, funds of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
.JPG)