A Volunteer Academy for the Protection of the Rights of GBTIQ Conscripts Was Implemented

Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO, with the financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and through a sub-grant provided by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), implemented a Volunteer Academy aimed at supporting GBTIQ conscripts.

The Academy was attended by 20 volunteers from Yerevan and various regions of Armenia. The program aimed to strengthen volunteers’ capacities to ensure the protection of the rights of GBTIQ individuals throughout the military conscription process.

During the Academy, volunteers gained knowledge and practical skills on sexual orientation and gender identity, physical and digital security during conscription, personal data protection, risk management on social media, community-level risk mapping, military conscription procedures, documentation of cases of violence and discrimination, the local and international legal framework for GBTIQ rights, and the importance of peer-to-peer counseling.

Volunteers worked with an expert on developing a handbook, individual action plans, and resource mapping. Role-playing exercises were conducted to simulate situations arising in military commissariats, mental health centers, and psychiatric review commissions. Discussions also covered medical confidentiality, risks of disclosure, and the protection of personal data in healthcare settings.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Alexandra Cole, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Armenia, who delivered welcoming remarks, emphasized the importance of the Academy, and expressed readiness to answer volunteers’ questions. Welcoming remarks were also delivered by Knarik Mkrtchyan, IWPR Program Coordinator, who presented the objectives of the program and highlighted the importance of cooperation.

During the Academy, volunteers carried out mapping of conscription-related challenges in Yerevan and the regions, shared cases of discrimination encountered in military commissariats and mental health institutions, and developed solution-oriented recommendations. The volunteers also developed a roadmap through which they will support GBTIQ conscripts at all stages of rights protection in the coming years.

At the conclusion of the Academy, Lilit Martirosyan, President of the organization, thanked the volunteers, noting that their knowledge and commitment are an important step toward ensuring the safety and protection of the rights of the GBTIQ community and serve as a foundation for long-term community-based support.

We extend our gratitude to the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) for their support, trust, and effective cooperation.

The Academy will have a continuous format. The next meeting is planned in 2026, with the participation of mental health professionals and volunteers