Our involvement in Armenia began in the early 2000s. Between 2006-2009, we collaborated with UNDP Armenia to implement a Sida-funded project to strengthen the capacity of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s Office to promote and protect human rights. In 2019 we re-engaged our cooperation in Armenia aiming to support the country’s democratic transition and since 2020 we are implementing a Sida-supported human rights programme.
We currently engage with our Armenian partners to increase the capacity of representatives from the judiciary, state agencies, academia, and civil society, to apply international human rights standards in ongoing and future reforms in the country. We work together with a range of local and international stakeholders.
Since August 2023, our cooperation in Armenia is managed from our office in Yerevan.
Within the justice sector we support the Ministry of Justice in the implementation of the Armenian National Action Plan for Human Rights and collaborate with the Academy of Justice on human rights training of justice sector professionals. In cooperation with the Centre for the Implementation of Legal Education and Rehabilitation Programs we support development of training for prison staff and other services in the justice sector.
Learn more about our work with the Armenian justice sector
Our cooperation with the Human Rights Defender’s Office aims to support them in their role as a National Human Rights Institution to promote and protect human rights. In addition to overall capacity activities, the cooperation is focused on developing tools and procedures aligned with international human rights standards for their National Preventive Mechanism Unit.
Within our academic and research cooperation we work with Yerevan State University and American University of Armenia to support human rights programmes and courses. Together with academic partners we are also exploring how Clinical Legal Education initiatives can be further developed at Armenian universities. Through research activities, fellowship programmes and the organisation of academic research conferences we are also supporting researchers from academic and the civil society to enhance collaboration, advance critical reflection and stimulate debate on human rights topics.
Learn more about our work with Academia and Research in Armenia
In 2023 we got engaged with UNDP Armenia to contribute to their project for Armenian parliamentarians by organising round tables and opportunities to discuss the role of parliamentarians in promoting and protecting human rights. Learn more about our cooperation with UNDP Parliament initiative
Since 2020, we also have been engaging with Armenian participants through the Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP), developed in collaboration with Lund University. In this programme, we gather young policymakers, public servants, and civil society actors, to develop their skills in governing, giving them the opportunity to network and exchange knowledge.
Learn more about our SAYP training
Armenia Programme Staff
Hanna Johnsson
Hanna Johnsson joined the Institute in 2005 and has more than 18 years´ experience in policy dialogue and development cooperation in Human Rights and Rule of Law. She holds a Masters´ degree in Political Science from Lund University.
In 2011, she established RWI´s regional office in Amman, Jordan, and between 2018 and 2020 she held the position as Director of RWI´s office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Previous experience includes working for the International Legal Assistance Consortium, the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Cambodia and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Meline Avagyan
Arman Gasparian
Arman Gasparian joins RWI as Programme Officer at the RWI Armenia Office. He has demonstrated history of working in the international development field (most notably, at the UN and the Council of Europe) and has experience in project and team management, event organisation, fundraising and advocacy, and data collection and analysis. Simultaneously to his work, Arman is also pursuing a PhD focusing in Public Governance from KU Leuven. Arman has authored close to ten academic articles, the most recent of which; “What causes satisfaction? A multiyear analysis of Armenian local communities” was published last month at Social Sciences & Humanities Open.
Arman can be reached at: arman.gasparyan@rwi.lu.se
Nona Galstyan
Nona Galstyan joins RWI as Senior Programme Associate at the RWI Armenia Office.
Nona has an experience in Programme Management with a demonstrated history of work with international NGOs, coordinating Human Resources section, managing and assisting different programmes. Nona is skilled in human recourses, public administration, governmental networking, data collection and analysing, youth participation, community development and more. Her latest work experience with UNICEF Armenia office, expanded her experience in Climate Change and resilience actions.
Nona can be reached at: nona.galstyan@rwi.lu.se