RA Human Rights Defender presents steps to develop local  self-government system to delegation of CLRAE delegation 

ArmInfo. At a meeting with a delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE), the Armenian Ombudsman, Anahit Manasyan, presented the steps taken by the Office of the Human Rights Defender (OHRA) to develop the local self- government system and ensure its effective functioning in the country.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman of Armenia, the meeting was  held as part of a monitoring visit conducted by the Congress of the  Council of Europe to assess the implementation of the European  Charter of Local Self-Government in the Republic of Armenia. The  delegation included Congress co-rapporteurs for Armenia, Jonathan  Denis and Catherine Partyka, as well as Congress Secretary Stephanie  Pourelle and expert Tanya Groppi. Manasyan emphasized the importance  of meetings of this format for strengthening democratic institutions  and developing effective cooperation, presenting the mandate and main  areas of activity of the Human Rights Ombudsman's office. The parties  addressed a number of key issues related to the functioning of local  self-government in Armenia. In this regard, Manasyan stated that she  regularly travels to the country's regions, meets with residents, and  listens to their concerns, which are then summarized in the Human  Rights Ombudsman's annual report.

During the meeting, issues of protecting rights by local government  bodies and ensuring inclusiveness in local government were also  discussed. In this regard, Manasyan noted the importance of adequate  representation of national minorities, women, and persons with  disabilities in local government bodies and the need to expand their  opportunities for participation in local governance. The Armenian  Human Rights Ombudsman noted that the effectiveness of local  self-government directly impacts the realization of human rights,  particularly in terms of access to social services, the development  of public infrastructure, and ensuring an adequate quality of life  for the population.

During the meeting, the parties also discussed the protection of the  rights of forcibly displaced residents of Artsakh. In this regard,  the Human Rights Ombudsman emphasized the importance of creating a  platform for dialogue. As an example, Manasyan cited a previous  discussion, which was also attended by Armenia's Minister of Labor  and Social Affairs, Arsen Torosyan.

Concluding the meeting, Manasyan praised the effective cooperation  between representatives of the Armenian Ombudsman and the Council of  Europe in the area of human rights protection. The Congress  representatives, in turn, emphasized the importance of ongoing  dialogue and cooperation.