Armenia

Armenian National Committee of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly
$47,464
To support a think tank in Yerevan, which will strive to consolidate civil society groups around democratic ideals and promote those values in the rural regions of Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh. The program will consist of 12 round­tables in Yerevan, 20 regional semi­nars, and a biweekly radio show which will involve the think tank participants in a discussion of current events.

Caucasus Center of Peace-Making Initiatives
$35,032
To conduct mock trials and mock public hearings in Armenia and Georgia and show other groups the methodology of organizing such events. The organiza­tion will work in close cooperation with partners in Azerbaijan and Georgia, the Alliance of Women for Civil Society and the South Caucasus Center for Civic Hearings, to create a program running concurrently in all three countries.

Center for International Private Enterprise
$174,948
To strengthen the Business Advocacy Network (BAN) and enhance its ability to represent the business community. CIPE and the Association for Foreign Investment and Cooperation (AFIC) will assist BAN to improve its institutional framework and de­velop a strategy for achieving institutional sustainability. BAN will conduct a series of advocacy activities with national and local government to promote the grass-roots re­form agenda developed by BAN members.

Chap, LLC
$39,060
To support the main independent television station in Armenia, GALA TV. Based in Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia, the station will send a film crew to Yerevan to produce news segments about events of national significance and incorporate this footage into its programming. The program will also support the talk show, “Addition to GALA News.” The show is 35-40 min­utes long and features a discussion with prominent guests about current events.

Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
$32,320
To monitor Armenian government web­sites and advocate for improved access to official information. The Committee will monitor the websites of 40 govern­ment bodies and regional administrations for the quantity and quality of information available, submit requests for information, and publicize its findings. The Commit­tee will foster the values of transparency and accountability and establish a dialogue between the government and civil society institutions such as NGOs and the media.

Helsinki Association
$46,800
To conduct strategic litigation. The As­sociation will identify cases that have precedent-setting potential and litigate them in Armenian courts and eventually the European Court. The organization will monitor the compliance of the govern­ment of Armenia with the judgments of the court. The Helsinki Association will also publicize its findings in Armenia and to the international community by publishing reports, maintaining a web­site, and holding press conferences.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor
$48,250
To create a network of young human rights activists throughout the South Caucasus. The organization will provide a seven day training course in methodology of human rights monitoring for 36 young activists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nago­rno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The activists will then form a network and conduct monitoring in their regions. The results will be published as a joint report.

Investigative Journalists NGO
$48,000
To maintain the daily news web site, Hetq Online. Articles will be published in Armenian and in English and will fo­cus on domestic politics, foreign rela­tions, social issues, the environment, Nagorno-Karabakh, the economy, the media, the judiciary, Caucasus-regional politics, and life in the regions. The site will post photo essays, special fea­tures, and investigative reporting.

Meltex Ltd.
$58,068
To provide news and analysis of political events in Armenia on its web site, produce political talk shows, and build a new type of video delivery through Wireless Applica­tion Protocol, which will permit viewers to watch A1+ video on their cell phones. A1+ will produce short video clips and other news items, which will be broadcast on its web page, its YouTube channel, WAP site, and regional television stations.

Shahkhatun Women’s Democracy Promotion NGO
$35,760To advocate for the release of political prisoners in Armenia. The organization will work with a group of wives, sisters, and other relatives of political prison­ers to obtain the due process of the law for the political prisoners and inform the public about their plight. The organiza­tion will select six cases for appeal to the European Court for Human Rights and make a film about human rights activism. 

The grant listings posted here are from the 2010 Annual Report, published in August 2011.