On April 18 Human Rights Defender
Kristinne Grigoryan hosted representatives of UNHCR Armenia Anna-Carin Öst and the
Head of the legal department Andrey Aryupin.
Defender Grigoryan greeted the
partners, noting that the Ombudsman institution appreciates the experience of
effective collaboration with the UNHCR, what is more Defender expressed her
commitment to the expansion of cooperation in a number of target areas.
In her turn, Anna-Karin Öst by
presenting the mission of the UNHCR in Armenia highlighted that cooperation
with the Ombudsman's Office is based on values and similar missions, because
both sides share the same goal of ensuring the protection of refugees,
displaced persons, asylum seekers, and stateless persons.
Human Rights Defender outlined a
variety of issues affecting persons who have been displaced from Artsakh, which
the Defender's institution has registered during this time period, including
through regional visits and private conversations with families by the
Ombudsman.
Referring to legislative reforms
intended to protect the rights of refugees, displaced persons, asylum seekers,
and stateless persons the Defender Grigoryan presented the Constitutional
Mandate of the Defender to submit opinions and proposals to the National
Assembly and the executive body. In this context, Defender stated her
willingness to be a link between UNHCR Armenia and the National Assembly in
order to find institutional solutions to the identified legislative problems.
In her turn, Anna-Karin Öst appreciated
the Defender's intended working style of influencing at the legislative level
which will prevent many issues.
Moreover, the parties agreed to actively promote cooperation between
Ombudsman's Syunik regional and UNHCR's Goris mission brunches, to gain a practical
understanding of the issues addressing displaced people and asylum seekers in
order to develop appropriate operational solutions.
During the meeting, the parties also
emphasized the importance of fact-finding missions and public awareness
campaigns, and they agreed to expand their cooperation in these as well as
other areas.
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