The Council for Coordination of the Action Program for the Protection of Human Rights in 2017-2019 held its first meeting in the Office of Government, chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, RA Government Press Service reports.
The Prime Minister noted that the defence of human rights is one of the main directions and priorities of the Government. “This is natural, as our country’s Constitution says that respect and protection of human rights is a key responsibility for public authorities,” Karen Karapetyan said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that to ensure greater coordination and effectiveness of the activities of central executive agencies in the sphere of human rights, the Government approved the Program of Action for 2017-2019 based on the National Human Rights Strategy on May 4, 2017. The program defines 96 actions with a specific timetable, the proposed criteria, expected results and the responsible bodies for each activity. In addition, a coordinating council has been established to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the program. The Council consists of representatives of the Government and State agencies.
“The Coordination Council shall meet on a quarterly basis to discuss the activities performed by Government departments. I consider it important to hold public debates with the participation of civil society representatives every six months. Such discussions may become an effective platform for the stakeholders to submit comments and suggestions regarding the implementation,” the Premier said. The timely implementation of this human rights-oriented program will be the focus of the Government’s and the Prime Minister’s attention, Karen Karapetyan added.
The meeting reviewed the actions completed and the steps to take in the sphere of human rights by the Ministries, Government departments and the Office of Human Rights Defender during the first half of 2017.
