The Right Side is 5 years old.

The “Rights Side” NGO celebrated its fifth anniversary on January 25, 2021. In addition to the staff and board, the organization’s annual meeting, which has already become a tradition, was attended by partners from the civil society sector, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Armenia Nico Schermers, embassy employees, and representatives of the trans community. Parents of the LGBTIQ community also participated in the event.

It is a great honor for me to chair the first trans community-based organization in Armenia and the South Caucasus. Today we celebrate the organization’s five difficult but productive years. This is an achievement of all of us: the community, staff, volunteers, and supporters. The existence of the organization proves the existence of the needs of our community, which we work hard to solve every day and will continue to do so. Gender equality is the foundation of human rights protection and democracy in Armenia – this is how the organization’s anniversary ceremony was opened by the NGO’s President Lilit Martirosyan.
During the event, Lilit Martirosyan presented the program and financial reports of the organization’s activities for the previous year, which are already available on the organization’s website. Ms. Martirosyan also presented the recently implemented preliminary versions of the strategic and advocacy planning for the next five years, which will also be available on the website soon.

The parents of the community expressed their gratitude to the NGO and personally Lilit Martirosyan for standing by their children and selflessly supporting them. “The existence of the organization is very important not only for us and our children’s well-being, but it also makes an invaluable contribution to the change and development of society,” – one of the parents noted in her speech.

During the event, the organization’s president also presented special certificates of appreciation to the following individuals and groups:

Ashot Gevorgyan, leader of the liberal, reformist movement “Honor Movement” for his unconditional support of the “Iravunk Ki Pa” human rights NGO in 2020 and for strengthening the organization.

Trans activist Monica Sarkisyan for raising the visibility of trans people and breaking stereotypes in 2020.
Trans activist Maria Atabekyan for standing at the forefront of the “Iravunk Ki Pa” human rights NGO in 2020, fighting for the protection of the rights of LGBTIQ people and sex workers.
Mamikon Hovsepyan, head of fundraising and communications at the “Pink” human rights NGO, for effectively cooperating with the “Iravunk Ki Pa” human rights NGO in 2020 and directing efforts to ensure the well-being of LGBTIQ people.
To the LGBTIQ Parents Group for raising awareness of LGBTIQ family issues and finding effective solutions during 2020.
To fellow member Olya Nalbandyan for supporting the trans and LGBTIQ community and positively influencing public opinion during 2020.
At the end of the event, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Armenia Niko Schermers presented the original “Human Rights Poppy 2020” statuette awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands to Lilit Martirosyan.

“Iravunki Koshm” IRC expresses its gratitude to all organizations and individuals who have contributed to the progress of the organization over the past five years and reaffirms the continuity and continuity of solving the problems set before it for the sake of the rights of sex workers and trans people.