Armenia`s human rights defender participated in the UNDP-organized  Tbilisi Regional Conference on Improving the Rule of Law and Access  to Justice for All

ArmInfo.On December 1, Armenia's Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan, participated in the  UNDP-organized Tbilisi Regional Conference on Improving the Rule of Law and Access to Justice for All.

Representatives of National Human Rights Institutions and state legal  aid providers from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine convened in  Tbilisi, Georgia, on 1-2 December for the Tbilisi Regional Conference  on Improving the Rule of Law and Access to Justice for All. UNDP and  Germany worked in partnership with the national governments and civil  societies to organize this important regional forum. 

The conference critically examined the rule of law trends in the four  countries. Government officials and civil society representatives  discussed lessons learned and best practices in strengthening  institutions, ensuring access to justice for all, and supporting the  resilience of the most disadvantaged communities.

The conference highlight was the adoption of the Tbilisi Declaration  on Access to State-Guaranteed Legal Aid for Forcibly Displaced  Populations. This document sets regional standards to promote  people-centred approaches to access to justice, enhancing  knowledge-building and coordination among state legal aid providers  across Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Ms Manasyan emphasized that the modern world today faces various  challenges that have a direct impact on the system of human rights  protection. In this context, she raised issues related to the  protection of the rights of forcibly displaced persons from  Nagorno-Karabakh, the data collection work carried out by her and her  staff, during which information was obtained on the humanitarian  consequences of the blockade of the Lachin corridor, deaths, torture,  desecration of corpses, self-harm and bad attitude, as well as other  actions prohibited by international law.

Anahit Manasyan also touched upon the issues of protecting human  rights related to the security of the borders of the Republic of  Armenia.

The human rights defender reached a number of agreements on further  cooperation with partner participants in the regional conference and  expressed readiness to participate in new initiatives related to the  protection of human rights.