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Empowering diversity through the inaugural session of the Public Council on National Minorities’ Rights in Armenia

The inaugural session of the Public Council on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons belonging to National Minorities (the Public Council), adjunct to the Human Rights Defender Office in Armenia, was held on 30 November 2023 in Yerevan. The event is perceived as a milestone, setting the stage for meaningful cooperation and shared commitment to uphold the rights and cultural diversity of national minorities in the country.

The Public Council, under the auspices of the Human Rights Defender Office, is an important platform for fostering cooperation between national minorities and the Armenian state authorities, particularly in the realms of preserving national identity and promoting minorities’ rights.

The inaugural meeting of the Public Council was opened by the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, the Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Maxime Longangue, and the Political Officer of the European Union Delegation in Armenia, Maria Papamichail. They all highlighted the pivotal role of the Public Council in advancing and safeguarding the rights of national minorities.

During the discussions, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture of the Republic of Armenia, Araksia Svajyan pointed out during the discussions that the Public Council should aim for a stronger partnerships with national minorities to ensure their fundamental rights are protected, including on education. The Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was presented during the event, as one of the most comprehensive European treaties designed to protect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities. 

Speakers called for special attention in advancing towards adopting a Law on National Minorities, a process ongoing since 2019, while they emphasised that its approval would substantially reinforce the rights of individuals belonging to national minorities. Public Council members, civil society organisations representing diverse national minorities in Armenia noted that discrimination based on ethnic grounds is not prevalent in Armenia. Nevertheless, the representatives of the Yezidi community emphasised that early marriages and premature school dropouts are adversely affecting Yezidi girls' access to education. This insightful observation urged for the attention of state partners to address these issues for the benefit of the Yezidi community.

This event was organised by the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia in cooperation with the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe,  implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination in Armenia”.

Yerevan, Armenia 30 November 2023
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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