Empowering the Community Through Connection

Since 2023, with the financial support of the Equality Fund, Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO has been regularly organizing educational and community meetings in its safe space. These gatherings aim not only to strengthen the capacities and well-being of LGBTIQ+ community members but also to foster mutual trust, support, and connection.

In the first half of 2025 alone, the safe space hosted a total of 360 participants, including individuals from Armenia’s regions, displaced community members from Artsakh, as well as representatives of ethnic minorities, refugees, and asylum seekers from Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Ukraine, community family members and allies.

During this period, 12 thematic meetings were held, which included:

Film screenings and discussions on topics such as gender identity and resilience;
Peer support groups, especially for refugees and displaced persons from Russia and other countries;
Focus group discussions on family acceptance, social needs, access to services, and mechanisms for community support;
Open conversations and group activities addressing social safety, psychological resilience, the right to self-expression, and the importance of solidarity.

These meetings hold exceptional value for those who are often forced to hide their identities in public spaces. The safe space provides a rare opportunity for connection, learning, and support in an environment where solidarity and understanding are transformed into inner strength and renewed hope.

We are deeply grateful to the Equality Fund for ensuring the sustainability of this space, for fostering community cohesion, and for standing with LGBTIQ+ individuals.