Call for Proposals

Academic Conference organised by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Yerevan, November 30 – December 1

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (hereinafter “RWI”), Lund, Sweden is pleased to announce the academic conference “Human RightsResearch in Armenia: Current and Emerging Issues”, to be organized in Yerevan on November 30-1 December 2023. The Conference will be organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Law of Yerevan State University.

The Conference aims to provide a platform for academics, human rights practitioners, and policy makers to explore jointly current and emerging human rights issues in Armenia. We invite contributions from scholars, students, CSO representatives, and practitioners, and encourage contributions willing to cross boundaries and build bridges between academic disciplines, as well as between theory and practice.

The Conference forms part of RWI’s Armenia Programme 2022-25 to support the production of high quality human rights research in Armenia and to generate opportunities for cross-sectoral cooperation in the area of human rights research. Selected participants in the conference will be offered the opportunity to receive continued support during 2024 to develop their research further through grants and international research visits/exchanges, with the final aim of an academic/journal publication in late 2024.

Background

RWI is currently implementing a capacity development programme on human rights in Armenia entitled “Supporting international human rights law and standards in Armenia 2022-25”. The overall outcome of the Programme is “Increased application of international human rights law and standards in the work of targeted actors in Armenia”, and one of the specific working areas is to support the production of high quality human rights research in Armenia.

As a result of stakeholder meetings and workshops with academics, CSOs, and other human rights actors in Armenia, RWI has identified a number of current and emergent human rights research themes in the Armenian context that the RWI programme aims to support in the coming years. The Conference thus forms part of a series of support activities focused on human rights research and will be followed by additional activities in 2024 and 2025.

The conference has three objectives:

• To provide a space for debate and discussion on current human rights issues in Armenia, with a broad spectrum of topics including human rights and the environment, human rights and gender, access to justice, human rights and corruption, and human rights and conflict resolution, and many more.

• To offer a space for scholars, students, and civil society representatives engaged in human rights research to present their work and receive feedback from national and international experts.

• To foster and develop the Armenian community of human rights scholars, through the possibility to network and exchanges ideas and information.

Thematic focus areas

In particular (but not exclusively), we welcome proposals in relation to the following conference themes:

Human Rights and the Environment

The sessions under the “Human Rights and the Environment” section of the conference should address the intersection between environmental issues and the protection of human rights in Armenia. Contributions under this section may explore the relationship between climate change and human rights violations, and potential solutions and strategies for promoting environmental justice.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Human Rights and the Environment but topics may for instance include:

• The impact of climate change on human rights, such as rights to water, food, health, and livelihoods

• Environmental justice and the right to a clean and healthy environment

• The role of international human rights law in protecting environmental rights

• The rights of populations in situations of vulnerability and their relationship to the environment

• Corporate accountability and its impact on human rights and the environment

• The role of civil society in promoting and protecting human and environmental rights

• Gender aspects of climate change in Armenia

• The role of technology and innovation to promote and protect the right to a clean and healthy environment.

Human Rights and Gender

This segment of the conference aims to explore the various ways in which gender-based discrimination intersects with human rights violations and to identify strategies for ensuring equity, equality and justice for all.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Human Rights and the Gender but topics may for instance include:

• The role of human rights in promoting gender equality in Armenia

• Women’s rights and gender-based violence in Armenia

• Gender and the law: examining Armenia’s legal framework on gender equality

• The impact of cultural norms and traditions on gender equality in Armenia

• The role of civil society in advancing women’s rights and gender equality

• Women’s empowerment and leadership: experiences and best practices in Armenia

• Gender, poverty, and inequality in Armenia

• Intersectionality: the links between gender, ethnicity, religion, and other social identities in Armenia

• The role of media in promoting gender equality and challenging gender stereotypes in Armenia

• Transgender Rights and Sexual Diversity

• The way forward: strategies, policies, and initiatives for advancing human rights and gender equality in Armenia.

Access to Justice

This section invites contributions that will explore issues surrounding the effective implementation of human rights through the Armenian justice system, including promoting accountability of state institutions, improving legal representation for marginalized communities, and the role of non-governmental organizations in protecting and advocating for human rights both within and outside the courtroom.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Access to Justice but topics may for instance include:

• Legal frameworks for protecting human rights and ensuring access to justice

• Challenges faced by marginalized groups in accessing justice

• The role of civil society organizations in promoting access to justice

• The impact of corruption on access to justice

• The role of technology and innovation in improving access to justice

• Intersections between human rights and access to justice in conflict-affected areas

• International human rights frameworks and their impact on national legal systems

• The effectiveness of legal frameworks and policies to combat Hate Crimes in Armenia.

Human Rights and Corruption

This section is focused on the connection between human rights abuses and corrupt practices. The conference will explore the detrimental effects of corruption on human rights, and the potential solutions to combat both issues.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Human Rights and Corruption but topics may for instance include:

• The intersection of corruption and human trafficking

• The role of civil society in combating corruption and promoting human rights

• The relationship between corruption and political instability

• The challenges in investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials and businesses

• The impact of corruption on groups in situations of vulnerability, such as children, elderly, persons with disabilities, and minorities

• The role of international organizations in fighting corruption and promoting human rights

• Best practices and successful cases of fighting corruption and promoting human rights in Armenia and beyond.

Human Rights and Conflict Resolution:

Human rights and conflict resolution are two key areas that are closely intertwined, especially in nations that are experiencing conflict and instability, like Armenia. The intersection of human rights and conflict resolution is essential to building a just, peaceful, and stable society. One of the most pressing human rights issues in Armenia is the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Under this thematic section, we invite contributions that will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with promoting, protecting and respecting human rights in conflict contexts, with a particular focus on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Human Rights and Conflict Resolution but topics may for instance include:

• The role of human rights in preventing conflict

• The impact of conflict on human rights

• The role of international human rights bodies in conflict resolution

• The impact of transitional justice mechanisms on conflict resolution

• The role of civil society in promoting human rights and peacebuilding

• The impact of conflict on vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and minorities

• The effectiveness of human rights mechanisms and responses in the context of international crises in peace and security

• Rights of forcibly displaced persons in Armenia

• The impact of technology on human rights and conflict resolution

• Human rights and post-conflict reconciliation

• Case studies of successful conflict resolution and human rights promotion efforts.

Human Rights and Poverty:

This section aims to explore innovative approaches and strategies to address poverty from a human rights perspective. By examining the relationship between human rights and poverty, we seek to investigate equitable and sustainable solutions to eradicate poverty and ensure the fulfilment of every individual’s human rights.

Applicants are free to define their own topic within the broader theme of Human Rights and Poverty but topics may for instance include:

• Addressing poverty through a human rights-based approach

• Poverty reduction strategies and their impact on human rights

• Economic policies and their implications for poverty and human rights

• The gender dimension of poverty and its human rights implications

• The role of civil society organizations in promoting human rights and poverty reduction

• Empowerment of marginalized groups in poverty alleviation efforts

• Poverty and environmental degradation: exploring the linkages and human rights implications

• The role of international organizations and partnerships in addressing poverty and protecting human rights

• Innovative approaches to measuring poverty from a human rights perspective

• The impact of technological advancements on poverty alleviation and human rights

• Exploring successful case studies of poverty reduction and human rights promotion efforts.

Call for Proposals

We invite both individual paper and full panel proposals that address questions related to theabove themes; proposals for other issues related to human rights more generally may also be submitted.

Each full panel proposal should include 3 or 4 papers plus a chair and discussant.

Individual Paper proposals require:

• Paper title (maximum of 15 words per title)

• Paper abstract (maximum of 500 words)

• A 350-word (or less) biographical statement

Panel proposals require:

• Panel title (maximum of 15 words)

• Panel theme (maximum of 500 words)

• Panel keywords

• Contact and short bio from each session participant including: first name, last name, affiliation, e-mail address, and a 350-word (or less) biographical statement for each participant.

Abstracts are to be submitted by 1 November 2023. The papers presented at the conference will be considered for further support during 2024, with the aim of being published in a special journal or academic volume issue. The conference will accept a restricted number of articles due to the limited space available.

Abstracts should be sent via email to Nona Galstyan: nona.galstyan@rwi.lu.se

Language

Contributions will be accepted in both Armenian and English. Panels and paper presentations during the conference can be held in both Armenian and English.

Registration of participants

The conference is open to academics, students, civil society representatives, decision and policy makers who are engaged in or interested in human rights research in Armenia. The conference will accept up to 80 participants. Registration for participation for those that are not presenting a paper or part of a panel is available here: https://forms.office.com/e/uj277JKvpq

Time and location

November 30 – December 1, Yerevan State University, Faculty of Law

Questions

All questions related to the conference can be addressed to david.eile@rwi.lu.se

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