Universal rights awards presented by OSCE and international partners in Armenia

The OSCE and international partners honoured individuals working to promote human rights, accountable governance, local government reform, and free speech in Armenia at the Universal Rights Awards Ceremony held on 4 June 2015 in Yerevan.

Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, presented Freedom Defender award to Shushan Doydoyan, President of Freedom of Information Centre. “A long- time partner of the OSCE, Shushan has been a tireless defender of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The OSCE Office appreciates Ms. Doydoyan’s commitment toward the promotion of open, transparent and accountable governance as well as her efforts to establish alternative mechanisms for resolving media-related disputes”.

The Coalition to Stop Violence against Women received the Woman of Courage Award in recognition of courageous advocacy for protection of the rights of women and promotion of gender equality in Armenia. The international community also acknowledged efforts by Zaruhi Mejlumyan, a journalist and the President of Armenian Innocence Project NGONGO
non-governmental organization, who was presented with the Media Excellence award for her commitment in writing about and defending the rights of prisoners facing or serving life imprisonment.

The Inter-Agency Anti-Trafficking Working Group was given the Government Reformer Award as the best example of government-civil society co-operation and Mayor of Akhuryan community, Artsruni Igityan, was given the Local Government Reformer Award for his creative and environmentally conscious initiatives.

The newly introduced award of Promoting Inclusion was presented to Armen Alaverdyan, the Executive Director of Unison NGO, for his contribution in creating more opportunities for people with disabilities and his efforts to build a more inclusive society.

Established in 2012, the Universal Rights Awards Ceremony was the first multi-mission initiative to highlight contributions of Armenia’s civil rights activists, government officials, and media and civil society representatives in the promotion of human rights.

The event was co-organized with the United States Embassy, the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, the British Embassy, the Council of Europe’s Office in Yerevan and the UN Armenia Office.