Ongoing projects
“Pink” human rights defender NGO implements various programs to fulfill its mission, achieve its goals, and solve statutory issues.
Advancing the movement through sustainable development
- Project duration:
2021-2024
- Project donor:
Swedish Government
- Project direction:
- To strengthen LGBT+ community and movement through capacity building, networking, and support
- To advance evidence-based communication on human rights and LGBT+ related topics
- To advocate for legal and policy changes for ensuring the inclusiveness of addressing LGBT+ human rights
- To ensure the sustainability of the organization and staff capacity
The overall objective of the project is to advance the human rights protection of LGBT+ people through strengthening the LGBT+ movement, evidence-based communication, and advocacy.
LGBT+ community empowerment is a crucial part of the advancement of the movement. The safe spaces in Yerevan and RA regions with accessibility to professional (social work, legal, psychological) and peer counseling services are ensured through the current project. The capacity building and entertaining events and gatherings are conducted in the Resource and Community centers in Yerevan and RA regions. Additionally, strengthening LGBT+ movement is about mobilizing community members and allies, which was ensured through annual “Pride” camps, “Rainbow” forums and events during important dates for the LGBT+ movement, such as IDAHOBIT, Coming out day, LGBT+ History month, etc.
The project allows an opportunity to provide small and partnership sub-grants to LGBT+ organizations and partner organizations from civil society. Implementing synchronized projects and activities together with our friends and partners is a key for joining efforts on advancing LGBT+ human rights situation in the country, raising awareness and mobilizing the community.
On the other hand, public evidence-based communication aiming to reach the thoughts and hearts of others is another direction. The fact-based information on sexuality, human rights and LGBT+ issues is constantly launched in the organization’s website and other online platforms. Additionally, creating gathering spaces for allies and developing informational materials for allies, such as professional guidelines for helping specialists, brochures for the parents and relatives of LGBT+ people, is the other way for contributing to the better understanding of human sexuality and tackling the existing stereotypes and misleading information among the society members.
The project also allows to implement documentation of cases on discrimination and other human rights violations towards LGBT+ people in Armenia to elaborate evidence-based human rights reports and documents. These documents based on data aim to reflect the existing situation, opportunities, and gaps within the local legislation and protective mechanisms on preventing discrimination, hate crimes, hate speech, domestic violence, partner abuse and other forms of violations towards LGBT+ people. Constant meetings, communication and submissions are provided to various state agencies (RA Government, RA Ministries, law enforcement bodies, Human rights defender’s office, etc.) and international mechanisms and institutions (EU, CoE, UN, other international organizations) aiming to raise the dialogue on necessary changes in legislation and practices to advance the human rights protection of LGBT+ people in Armenia. And finally, the strategic litigation is also lead by the organization to have legal decisions at domestic or international courts which can have a significant impact on the processes of other cases and used as evidence proving the necessity to implement legal and policy changes.
And the final direction of the project is advancing the institutional and organizational capacity of the organization and its members who are the main actors in executing the above-mentioned activities. It also includes the support to our partner organizations to develop their capacities through workshops and consultations on monitoring and evaluation, organizational management, fundraising, and other topics based on partners’ needs. Sharing knowledge and experience with our friends and partners is always a priority for the organization.
Empowering LGBT+ people: addressing the impact of the post-war situation in Armenia
- Project duration:
2023-2024
- Project donor:
Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) / UK Government
- Project direction:
- To address discrimination and social stigma against LGBT+ people in post-war Armenia relating to the narratives surrounding the participation of LGBT+ people in war among helping professionals
- To train mental health specialists to offer culturally sensitive mental health services to LGBT+ people affected by the war situation and constant border escalations.
- To provide mental health support and counseling services to LGBT+ people affected by the war situation and constant border escalations.
The overall goal of the project is to empower and support LGBT+ community representatives to build resilience, considering the specific challenges they face due to the recent war situation.
Advancing the human rights protection of LGBT+ people, through strengthening the movement by partnership building
- Project duration:
2022-2024
- Project donor:
Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights (RFSL)
- Project direction:
To strengthen the LGBT+ movement in regions by providing safe space, capacity enhancement, peer-counseling and empowering young activists to address the community demands on the basis of Pink`s Community Center in Region
To empower the helping professionals of LGBT+ people as allies of the LGBT+ movement and build an effective partnership by establishing the Network of Helping Professionals
The project’s overall objective is to advance the human rights protection of LGBT+ people, by strengthening the LGBT+ movement in Armenia and building an effective partnership with helping professionals.
Community well-being, and opportunities for LGBT+ people in the regions of Armenia
- Project duration:
2023 – 2024
- Project donor:
LGBT+ Denmark / New Democracy Fund
- Project direction:
- Empowerment of LGBT+ people in Armenia and improvement of mental health through access to safe spaces, support services and community gatherings
- Development of professional skills among LGBT+ people in regions to be more competitive in labor market, by ensuring access to professional educational courses and capacity building activities
- Building effective partnership between Armenian and Danish LGBT+ movements, conducting continuous experience and knowledge exchange and joint activities
The overall purpose of the project is to strengthen communities, enhance well-being and widen opportunities for LGBT+ community members in Armenia, especially in the regions of the country.
This project provides safe spaces (LGBT+ community centers), support services and trainings for LGBT+ people to gain skilled jobs in LGBT+ inclusive workplaces. The main target group is young LGBT+ people living in Armenian regions. Within the project LGBT+ people also receive psycho-social and legal support.
This project allows Pink Armenia and LGBT+ Denmark create spaces for joint learning and capacity building between the two like-minded organizations. Despite the different contexts, there are significant overlaps in values, goals, and methods between us. Further, LGBT+ Denmark has in 2023 opened an LGBT+ community center in Copenhagen. As part of this intervention, Pink Armenia, and LGBT+ Denmark will arrange online learning events between community center managers, hybrid events with LGBT+ community members focusing on queer life in Armenia and Denmark, etc.
With these activities, Pink Armenia, and LGBT+ Denmark wishes to enhance the capacity and strengthen the partnership between the two organizations, which both parties find beneficial and promising.