USAID to Assist Armenia’s Human Rights Defender to Be More Accessible to Public

USAID/Armenia Mission Director Jatinder Cheema and the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Karen Andreasyan signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony held on Mar. 29. US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern and representatives from Counterpart International and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) attended the event, according to a press release issued by the USAID Armenia office.

Within the framework of the memorandum, USAID will provide technical assistance to strengthen the institutional capacity and improve visibility of the Human Rights Defender’s Office (HRDO), its regional offices, and constituent departments. USAID will also assist the HRDO to raise public awareness and outreach as well as provide effective solutions for addressing citizens’ complaints through a public hotline.

As part of the agreement, the HRDO will improve access and services for citizens, particularly in the regions, and will develop stronger relationships with Armenia’s human rights community. HRDO will also provide office space on the HRDO premises to USAID-supported legal clinics.