The issues of protecting the rights of women and children are a priority for the Ombudsman institution.

16-07-2026 10:06 Armenia Press release

The three-day workshop on the topic of "Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence and Protection of Persons Subjected to Domestic and Family Violence" has started on July 15 at the Office of the Human Rights Defender.

The Human Rights Defender's office reports that the workshop is being held in cooperation with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ) and aims to strengthen the capacities of the Human Rights Defender's office as well as the professionals involved in the field, promote the exchange of experiences, and contribute to the development of effective mechanisms for the protection of the rights of persons subjected to domestic and family violence, including children.

The Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan delivered the opening speech of the event.

Welcoming the participants of the workshop, the Defender emphasized that the prevention of domestic and family violence, ensuring gender equality, and protecting the rights of women and children are strategic priorities for the Human Rights Defender's institution.

Anahit Manasyan highlighted that the prevention of violence and effective responses to it require not only the existence of legal regulations but also continuous training of professionals working in various fields, inter-agency cooperation, and consistent application of rights-based approaches.

"The issues of preventing domestic and family violence, ensuring gender equality, and protecting the rights of women and children are of priority significance for the Human Rights Defender's institution. Despite some positive developments recorded in recent years, challenges continue to persist in these areas, and overcoming them requires consistent and coordinated efforts.

It is particularly important to continuously develop the knowledge and skills of professionals in the field. In this context, I emphasize the strengthening of the professional potential of specialists working not only in Yerevan but also in the regions, as the effective prevention of violence cases and the accessibility of protective mechanisms largely depend on the preparedness of professionals working on the front lines," stated Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan.

The Defender highly appreciated the effective cooperation established with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ), emphasizing that such initiatives are an important contribution to the dissemination of international standards for the protection of human rights, the exchange of best practices, and the development of national capacities.

Nelly Tumasyan, the coordinator of IRZ's programs in Armenia, welcomed the Human Rights Defender and representatives of the office, highlighting the long-term cooperation established between the two organizations and emphasizing the importance of such training in strengthening sectoral capacities.

During the workshop, Lilith Aghajanyan, head of the Department for Ensuring the Conventional Mandates of the Human Rights Defender's office, presented a thematic report addressing the importance of preventing domestic and family violence, protecting persons subjected to violence, ensuring children's rights, and rights-sensitive approaches.

German experts presented international experiences and practical approaches to the protection of women's and children's rights, prevention of domestic and family violence, and effective responses to cases of violence during the workshop.

The discussions also included interactive activities, experience sharing, and professional discussions aimed at identifying existing challenges in the field and developing effective solutions to overcome them.

The event is another initiative of the cooperation between the Human Rights Defender's office and the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ) aimed at preventing domestic and family violence, protecting the rights of persons subjected to violence, and strengthening institutional capacities for the protection of human rights.

The workshop will continue for two more days.

On July 16, a training course will be held in the Artashat community of the Ararat region with the participation of healthcare professionals who have direct contact with the population, representatives of law enforcement agencies, local self-government bodies, and civil society organizations.

On July 17, the concluding event of the workshop will take place in Yerevan, which will be attended by representatives of competent state bodies in the fields of health, social protection, and education, as well as representatives of day and round-the-clock care and protection institutions for children, and civil society organizations."

* This text was automatically translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Noyan Tapan | Press release