Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study presents the findings from field research in Armenia, which investigated the influence of international and national organizations, as well as institutional legacies on penal reform efforts since the collapse of the Soviet Union. A number of international organizations have had a pivotal role in mandating, encouraging and assisting the Armenian government in transforming the penal system in accord with international human rights standards. It is important to note that none of these international organizations are penal reform organizations per se. Their activities both in Armenia and internationally span a wide range of issues. However, their contribution to the penal reform in Armenia cannot be overlooked. These organizations engage in the penal reform to pursue not only a narrow goal of improving prison conditions and treatment of prisoners but also to contribute to reforms in other areas of the criminal justice system and to promote overall the rule of law and facilitate the process of democratization. The study will analyze the roles of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Penal Reform International in the transformation of the penal system of the Republic of Armenia.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The proposed paper addresses the problem of the transformation of the issues of ?Woman Question? in Armenia and its evaluation from socialism to transition and its impact on Gender Policy in Armenia. To elucidate the issue I will give a short overview on ?women liberation? and how the women?s question was ?solved? the in former Soviet Union and particularly in Soviet Armenia and why it hasn?t been completely solved till now?I will also refer to case studies, though I am sure that all scholars engaged in gender issues are well aware on the issue.The establishment of Soviet power was followed by declaration of equal rights for men and women, which had been forcibly imposed to women /society through Zhensoviet-s (Women's Council), and Jenotdeli (Women's Departments).[1] The massive backlash against the women movement in perestroika times, which may first seem self-contradictory in the context of long-awaited democratic reforms, is rooted in the view of woman equality as adverse for soviet women.[2] My research has demonstrated three evidences, why after 75 years of Soviet power many unsolved gender problems continue to exist under the illusion of ?solved? Woman Question:(a)Women in Armenia have never fought for their rights. They were gifted such rights.[3] (b)Soviet Power announced that the ?Woman Question? was ?solved? in the Soviet Union, but it does not solved till now.(c)It was announced that there was no discrimination against women in the Soviet Union, but in fact discrimination was hidden.

Publication Type: Poster
Abstract: During the last years the number of HIV infected people in Armenia has increased considerably. Recently the health governmental and non-governmental organizations in Armenia have begun to work actively to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. The PAFHA, which is a non-governmental organization that works for the improvement of health and well being of families and individuals in Armenia and Armenian communities abroad. It works in partnership with the Government, UN agencies, international organizations, local NGOs and private companies. One of the important goals of the organization is to raise awareness of young people and adults of the means of protection against HIV/AIDS; to reduce the number of new cases of HIV infection; and people living with HIV/AIDS enjoy full protection of their rights and an improved quality of life.
The activities held by the association, like advocacy, sexual education, as well as peer education serves to raise awareness, to prevent HIV/AIDS, to promote behavior change among youth and adults.
The organization now is working on implementation of new projects, like the establishment of the high quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services to enlarge the access for all, the empowerment of Young People to make Choices on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, the enhancement of Youth-Friendly Services in Armenia, which will all advance for progress in health sphere.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper examines the change in environmental protection from Soviet rule through the stages of independence, democratization and democratic stagnation in the Republic of Armenia. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of democratic transition and democratic stagnation on environmental protection in post-communist countries, and to determine what kind of eco-political dynamic we can expect in shallow democracies. The methodology is based on a structured comparison of environmental protection in two important policy domains, Lake Sevan and forestry resources, using thick description of the change in the development of political/administrative agencies, civil society and the rule of law in each domain over four time periods. The analysis is based on data gained from over fifty background interviews conducted in Armenia during four separate field trips from 1997 to 2001, and analysis of primary and secondary materials. My research demonstrates that, contrary to hopeful expectations, we see a convergence in both the increasing degradation of Lake Sevan and massive deforestation of Armenian forests during the transition period (despite their different starting points in 1991). I conclude that shallow democratization and stagnation may adversely affect environmental protection in post-communist countries. Environmental protection in shallow democracies is fundamentally different than in either fully consolidated democracies or fully authoritarian regimes. There is a unique pattern to this eco-political dynamic, which can be seen in the weakness in the political/administrative agencies, rule of law and civil society, the uneven development in these three spheres of eco-democratization, the increasing dependence on international aid which leads to short but unsustained bursts of activity, and repeated attempts to improve the situation that are not maintained. There have been a few positive exceptions to the overall dire picture that have come about because of decentralization of environmental policymaking allowing greater participation in the process, increasing access to information, and increasing cooperation with the international community.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper will evaluate the strength and process of reform of environmental law and policy in the South Caucasus, with a particular focus on Armenia and Georgia. The paper examines not only the state of development of environmental law and policy in Armenia and Georgia since the breakup of the Soviet Union, but also the institutions enacting and implementing those laws (primarily parliaments, courts, Ministries of Environment, and environmental NGOs), and the linkages between these institutions and legal reform. The methodology is based on a structured comparison of environmental legal and policy development in Armenia and Georgia on two environmental issues that are critical in both countries: forestry and water policy. The paper compares the development and implementation of laws and policy in these two areas across the countries, focusing on critical issues that affect outcomes, including the levels of democratization and development of civil society, recent elections, levels of corruption, capacity of environmental ministries, and ties to Diaspora-supported NGOs. The authors hypothesize that environmental law and policy overall remain ineffective in both Georgia and Armenia, but reforms are progressing more in the former than the latter. The authors argue that environmental policy in Georgia is developing a local character, as civil society, in particular local membership-based environmental organizations and independent media, has been able to develop and flourish more in Georgia than in Armenia, as paralleled comparatively in the wider democratization process in these two countries. In Armenia, Diaspora-supported NGOs have played a more important role in impacting the path of civil society development, and in both nations the local applicability of national legislation and policies has been hampered by the dominance of international actors in formation of such reforms and development of this sector. The analysis is based on data gained from background interviews conducted in both Armenia and Georgia, and analysis of primary and secondary materials. The paper will also appear as a chapter in an edited volume by Chris Waters, entitled The State of Law in the South Caucasus, in Palgrave's Euro-Asian Studies Series.