On
June 25, the regular session of the Public Council on the protection and
promotion of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities adjunct to
the Human Rights Defender was held.
The
purpose of the meeting was to strengthen cooperation and dialogue between civil
society organizations working on national minority rights and state bodies,
aimed at protecting the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and
preventing discrimination. Existing challenges in the field were discussed, as
well as recommendation aimed at their systemic resolution and sustainable
protection of rights.
Opening
remarks were made by the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia
Ms. Anahit Manasyan and Project Officer
for the project “Promoting Equality and Non-Discrimination in Armenia” of the
Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Mr. Hakob Gabrielyan. Welcoming remarks
were made by deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Mr.
Rustam Bakoyan and Ms. Irina Gasparyan and Deputy Minister of Education,
Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Ms. Araksia Svajyan.
In
her speech, Ms. Anahit Manasyan noted that the protection of the rights of
national minorities is a priority for her, emphasizing in particular the
importance of the rights to preserve identity and language.
“National
minority rights are essential in the context of human rights protection. There
are serious challenges in the field of preserving the right to language,
related to the training of relevant specialists, language teaching and the
availability of educational materials. For example, there are no relevant departments
or structural units in universities in Armenia that would be engaged in the
training of specialists in this field. This can be a serious obstacle in terms
of realizing the right to preserve the language. I consider it important to
publicly present such problems, discuss them and develop targeted solutions.
These issues are also included in the framework of our 2024 annual report,”
said the Defender.
At
the end of her speech, Ms. Anahit Manasyan thanked the Council of Europe
partners, members of the Public Council, representatives of state bodies and
deputies for their cooperation, once again reaffirming her commitment to study
and propose new and effective ways to resolve issues within the framework of
the Human Rights Defender’s mandate. According to her, the existing problems
can be solved exclusively by joining efforts.
National
Consultant of the Council of Europe, Mr. Ara Ghazaryan presented the provisions
of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and their
application. The Secretary General of the Human Rights Defender's Office of the
Republic of Armenia, Ms. Nina Pirumyan referred the problems related to the
right to preserve the language of national minorities.
During
the session, a number of issues were discussed, including the importance of
preserving the right to language in the context of combating discrimination,
ensuring equal opportunities in education, participation in cultural life and
other areas as tools for preventing discrimination and strengthening social
solidarity, reference was also made to the draft Law on National Minorities.
Special
attention was paid to the inclusion of children belonging to national
minorities in preschool institutions, teaching the native language in schools,
the availability of relevant textbooks, as well as the rights of children
excluded from education.
The
members of the Public Council presented the problems and recommendations
existing in their communities, which can be resolved through the joint efforts
of state bodies and civil society.
The
event was organized in cooperation between the Human Rights Defender’s Office
of the Republic of Armenia and the Council of Europe's “Promoting equality and
non-discrimination in Armenia” project.
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