On 14 December 2022 the regional EU/Council of Europe anti-discrimination project, part of the Partnership for Good Governance II 2019-2022, joined the Human Rights Defenders office of Republic of Armenia (HRDO), in a discussion focused on Combating discrimination based on disability and health of the person.
The event presented the “Extended session of the Public Council on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities attached to the Human Rights Defender” and gathered over 20 representatives from state institutions, non-governmental organisations and experts.
During the opening of the event, the Ombudsperson of the Republic of Armenia, Kristinne Grigoryan addressed participants and noted that the rights of persons with disabilities should be protected, and all forms of discrimination based on disability combatted. The Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Leila Zhdanova, stressed that the Council of Europe promotes, protects, and monitors the implementation of human rights for all, including persons with disabilities. She highlighted the need to prevent and combat risks of marginalisation and exclusion by promoting respect, solidarity, inclusion - in order to achieve equality, dignity and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Following sessions focused on the monitoring results of the HRDO Armenia and its recommendations for improvement in this field, relating European standards, including the identification of cases of discrimination and judgments of the European Court of Human Rights but also the European Disability Strategy 2021–2030, aimed to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.
All participants agreed on importance of initiating common actions to reinforce the inclusion of the persons with disabilities in the society and continue activities on combating discrimination, promoting and ensuring equality for everyone.
This event was organised in the cooperation of the Human Rights Defender and the Joint European Union and Council of Europe project: “Strengthening access to justice through non-judicial redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Eastern Partnership countries”, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance II 2019-2022.
