NA Speaker: We are obligated to ensure that every citizen has the  opportunity to fully enjoy their rights and freedoms

ArmInfo.  Alen Simonyan, Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, participated  in the international conference "Ethical Standards in Guaranteeing  Legality and Anti Discrimination," organized by the RA Human Rights  Defender Office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

As reported by the NA press service, in his address to the  participants, the Speaker congratulated everyone on International  Human Rights Day. " December 10 reminds everybody about the  protection of main values, on which the modern democratic society is  built - human dignity, freedoms, equality. We should state that the  protection of human rights is not only the duty of the state, but  also the special component of public solidarity.

The National Assembly, as the highest legislative body of a  democratic state, has an important mission in the protection of human  rights. We continue to consistently improve legislation regarding the  human rights.  In addition, we are obligated to ensure that every  citizen, regardless of their characteristics, has the opportunity to  fully enjoy their rights and freedoms.  In this context, I would like  to note that the draft law On Ensuring Equality and Protection from  Discrimination is currently under active debate. After the adoption  of the law, the above-mentioned functions will be assigned to the  Human Rights Defender, which will significantly expand the functions  of the HRD and provide an opportunity to respond to cases of  inequality in a more systematic manner.  However, this is not the  work of one body alone. It requires joint action, involving both  civil society and international organizations, as well as state  bodies.

We are ready to continue the path of reforms, strengthening ethical  standards and establishing more distinct mechanisms to ensure  equality.  I call on all players to continue the joint efforts to  build a society based on respect, inclusiveness and justice. On that  path, we have one common goal: to make Armenia a country where human  rights will be fully protected, with the guarantee that they will  never be put under doubt any circumstances," the RA National Assembly  Speaker noted.