With the financial support of OutRight International, Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO implemented a social assistance program aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by LGBTIQ immigrants who left their country due to conflict and persecution and found themselves in a difficult situation.

Beneficiaries of the program could be LGBTIQ immigrants from Russia and Ukraine, who moved to Armenia due to the Russian attack on Ukraine, the subsequent mobilization, crisis, and the adoption of a new bill by the State Duma of the Russian Federation, which exclusively prohibits any “medical intervention directed at changing a person’s sex”, and also invalidates the legal recognition of gender in official documents for trans people. It should also be noted that on November 30 of this year, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the “International LGBT Movement” as extremist. It is now banned in Russia, which can lead to criminal prosecution for participating in, funding, and spreading information about the movement.

Within the framework of the social assistance program:

• For 6 months, meetings with the participation of Ukrainian, Russian, and immigrants from other countries took place in the community safe space of the Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO, during which needs assessments, courses on human rights, protection mechanisms, and trainings on overcoming crises and depression were held.
• A total of 83 people received social counseling regarding drafting documents, employment, opening bank accounts, medical facilities, and laboratory tests.
• 51 beneficiaries received legal advice and used the services of a psychologist.
• A total of 15 LGBTIQ immigrants received one-time financial assistance that could be used to pay for renting an apartment, utility bills, hormone therapy, laboratory tests, or other essential needs. 
• In addition, 25 LGBTIQ persons received parcels of basic food and hygiene items.

Following its strategy, a part of which is the improvement of the social condition of Trans LGBIQ persons, Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO continues to maintain constant contact with the beneficiaries and regularly conducts needs assessments of marginalized groups. In addition to this social assistance program, the organization will continue to provide LGBTIQ people with legal and psychological assistance, as well as regularly organize courses, camps, and other events that LGBTIQ people can participate in both from Armenia and abroad.

December 7, 2023 Armenia, Yerevan