Helsinki Citizen's Assembly-Vanadzor office NGO (HCA Vanadzor) is a non-political, non-religious, non-profit NGO, which unites individuals who support the supreme principles of Democracy, Tolerance, Pluralism, and Human Rights, as values. HCA Vanadzor was founded in 1998 as a branch of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Armenian Committee.

The Headquarters of the organization is in Vanadzor – Lori Regional Center. HCA Vanadzor has representatives in Yerevan. The geographical scope of the organization's activity covers both the Lori Region and the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia.

The main areas of the organizations’ activities are Human Rights, Advocacy and Peace building.

Strategic Goal 1: To promote the enhancement of national mechanisms of protection of human rights and restoration of violated rights through
1.1. Providing legal consulting and assistance on human rights issues revealed through rapid response or application to the Organization
1.2. Developing recommendations on amendments to the legislation and practice in target areas in compliance with international regulatory instruments for solving identified problems
1.3. Promoting the development and establishment of public monitoring of human rights situation
1.4. Developing and presenting reports and recommendations to international entities on the RA fulfillment of its international obligations in the sphere of human rights
Strategic Goal 2: To promote the idea human rights protection, expansion of human rights activism and peace building in Armenia through
2.1. Raising citizens’ awareness on human rights activism and peace building
2.2. Promoting the idea of human rights witnessing in Armenia and the region
2.3. Increasing the involvement of active citizens and organizations in human rights activism on national, regional, and international levels
2.4. Initiating and supporting peace building initiatives in the region and promoting mutual trust and dialogue among isolated societies Strategic Goal 3: To promote the development and public control mechanisms over national and local government agencies through
3.1. Promoting increased accountability and transparency of government agencies in target areas
3.2. Developing and promoting methods of civil oversight over local self-government bodies
Strategic Goal 4: To develop the infrastructures, organizational culture and institutional capacities of HCA Vanadzor through
4.1. Regulating Organization’s human resource management and internal communication
4.2. Developing and applying effective workshop mechanisms for developing professional capacities of the staff
4.3. Developing and upgrading organization’s management mechanisms and infrastructures

AREA / SUBJECT OF THE FELLOWSHIP

  • The main areas of the fellowship are:
    Promoting the development of legislation prohibiting hate speech in the Republic of Armenia;
  • Research on ways of hate speech, types and mechanisms of prevention;
  • Fighting hate speech in cyberspace;
  • Studying international experience, good practices;
  • Prohibition of hate speech in the context of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED FELLOWSHİP ACTIVITY

The fellowship activity proposed is related to the following:

Providing expert opinion on the development of legislative regulations prohibiting hate speech and providing professional assistance in drafting the legislative package;
Conducting a training/workshop on hate speech v. freedom of speech for NGO/civil society representatives and government agencies;
Conducting a study/research of good practices to effectively combating hate speech;
Publicizing the findings of the study/research through various activities (publications, meetings with state authorities, press conferences, etc.).

EXPECTED PROFILE 

  • Certain knowledge of human rights and peacebuilding
  • Work experience in the field of human rights protection
  • Education in Law, International Relations or Journalism/Media
  • Ability to do research and analysis of legal documents
  • Work experience on the issues of hate speech or freedom of speech (existence of publications).
  • Ability to work independently and in a team
  • Ability of working with new information technologies
  • Fluent knowledge of English

CONDITIONS OF THE FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Working week: 5 days
Working day: 8 hours
Days-off: Saturday, Sunday
Holidays: Will get days-off on holidays.
The fellows will be provided with work space, a desk, a chair, a computer and necessary office supplies.
The fellows will be able to attend conferences, seminars, workshops and other activities held by HCA Vanadzor.

PROPOSED TIME FOR THE FELLOWSHIP

Any one month between October 2020 and May 2021 upon the agreement between the host and the fellow.