Youth for Information Accessibility

The program, that is financed by Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, is aimed at enhancement of the capacity of Rights Protection Initiative Foundation in order to prepare the law students collaborating with the organization to more efficiently support the vulnerable population of distant and borderline communities of Shirak region (women, people with disabilities, refugees, the elderly, women with children under care, victims of domestic violence, etc.), so that their participation is increased in decision making by the municipality for the purpose of solving issues regarding their social-economic rights, so that they are able to exercise their right to access information about the social-economic activities of the municipality and budget expenses and to do respective oversight, without any discrimination. For that purpose a group of 15 students will be selected in cooperation with the legal clinic of Shirak region Progress University, who will be trained on the topics of the right of community population and social unions to access information on and have participation, forms and means, in community activities and budget expenses in accordance with the RA Constitution, local self-government European Charter and Protocol, RA law on Self-governing and other legislative acts. 1500 informational guidelines will be given to the students to be disseminated among community population.

Students, in their turn, will along with the advocate conduct meetings in 6 (six) communities to carry out public awareness raising activities and provide legal consultation. As a result at least 150 most vulnerable group members will, due to the knowledge acquired, have the opportunity to actively get engaged in community activities, oversee the efficient use of financial resources by the community.

Beneficiaries will also be provided with online legal consultation on their social-economic, cultural and other issues with the community via the online intake form of the online platform created as part of the project.