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Right Side NGO

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Right Side NGO
Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO
Իրավունքի Կողմ
Founded2016;8 years ago(2016)
Legal statusNon-governmental organization
FocusTransgender rights,Sex workers' rights,LGBT rights in Armenia,LGBT activism
HeadquartersYerevan
Location
MethodsAdvocacy
Director
Lilit Martirosyan
Main organ
General Assembly
AffiliationsTransgender Europe[1]
Websiterightsidengo

Right Side NGO(Armenian:Իրավունքի Կողմ,romanized:Aj koghm) is the firsttransgender rightsorganization inArmeniaand the first trans-led organization in theSouth Caucasusregion.[2]Right Side NGO was founded in 2016 as a non-governmental organization and is headquartered inYerevan.Its mission is to serve and support the needs oftransgenderindividuals andsex workersin Armenia, to promote theirhuman rightsprotection, and to advocate for the change of public policy around transgender andsex workissues.[3][4]

Organization

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Right Side NGO was founded on 25 January 2016 byLilit Martirosyan,an Armenian LGBTQ+ rights activist.[5][6][3][7]The organization seeks to promote human rights protection for transgender citizens and fortransgender sex workersand other sex workers in Armenia. The organization additionally supports creating a more equitable and tolerant society, increasing knowledge of health and safety for sex workers, raisingHIVprevention awareness, challenging negative stigmas, and advocating for legal reforms andlabour rights.[8][9]

The NGO also provides legal, social, and psychological services to the community, holds annual "trans camp" events, vocational education trainings and courses, capacity building workshops and seminars, and various awareness raising campaigns throughout Armenia.[2]The organization works closely withPink Armeniaon related LGBTQ+ matters, including advocating for easiergender self-identification.[10]

International cooperation

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Right Side NGO has established cooperative relations with diplomatic missions,United Nationsagencies, theCouncil of Europe,and other intergovernmental, non-governmental, international, local organizations and networks.[3]Right Side NGO is a member of theEuropean Sex Workers' Rights Alliance.[11]

Activities

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On 16 May 2016, the NGO commemorated theInternational Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.[12]

The Right Side NGO was awarded a grant from theEuropean Endowment for Democracyto advance equality for transgender people in Armenia and raise awareness of the issues they face.[13][14]

In collaboration withILGA-Europe,Right Side NGO implemented a data collection project exclusively focusing on hate crimes, violence, and discrimination faced by the transgender community.[13]

In 2019, the NGO hosted the first "Gender equality and diversity cultural festival" in Armenia as a pre-event for Armenia's first everpride parade,which was planned to be held in 2021.[2]

On 11 January 2019, the NGO announced that it will assist trans citizens of Armenia to acquire newArmenian passportswith names which are in line with the personsgender identityand expression. The NGO confirmed that several citizens have already obtained new passports and that the NGO has received funding from theEuropean Foundation for Democracy.[15]

In 2020, Lilit Martirosyan was awarded theHuman Rights Tulipof the year during a ceremony organized by theGovernment of the NetherlandsonHuman Rights Day.[8]

Also in 2020, the NGO began cooperation with the HPLGBT organization inUkraineand with Tbilisi Pride inGeorgia,with the goal to increase activism and promote human rights inEastern Europe.[16]

In March 2022, the organization participated in a panel discussion organized by theGALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society.[17]

On 3 September 2022, a newsafe spaceoffice for the LGBTQ community was opened in Yerevan by the Right Side NGO with support from theSwedishembassy in Armenia. The opening ceremony was attended by several ambassadors and theHuman Rights Defender of Armenia,Kristinne Grigoryan.[18]

In February and March 2023, Right Side NGO representatives went on a working visit to the United States, and met with organizations such as theNational Endowment for Democracy,Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights,Human Rights Campaign,Global Fund for Women,Freedom House,Astraea Lesbian Foundation For Justice,and theNational Democratic Institute.GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Societyhosted Right Side NGO founder Lilit Martirosyan inGlendale, Californiafor a public discussion on the situation of LGBTQ+ people in Armenia,discriminationand human rights violations, and how supporters living in the United States can support LGBTQ+ people living in Armenia.[19]

On 21 August 2023, at a candlelightvigilfor a murdered trans woman named Adriana, organized by Right Side in Komitas Park in Yerevan, more than 100 LGBTQ+ activists gathered, along with Adriana's family, theDutchambassador to Armenia and a representative from theBritishembassy. The vigil was disrupted by a group of agitators who threw eggs, bottles, and stones at the mourners. Police officers, who had gathered in the park in preparation for the vigil, did not intervene.[20]

Leadership

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As of November 2022, the Right Side NGO governing board is composed of five activists, including two trans women, two trans men, and onenon-binaryperson who govern the organization. In addition, three of the board members are sex workers.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Membership".
  2. ^abc"Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO".Retrieved11 March2023.
  3. ^abcd"General information".Retrieved11 March2023.
  4. ^""Իրավունքի կողմ" ՀԿ-ն համագործակցո՞ւմ է արդարադատության նախարարության քաղաքացիական կացության ակտերի գրանցման բաժնի հետ | Armlur – Լուրեր Հայաստանից ".Retrieved11 March2023.
  5. ^"Lilit Martirosyan".17 November 2022.
  6. ^"Can transgender people speak in Armenia?".
  7. ^"Պետությունը պետք է հարգի յուրաքանչյուրի իրավունքը՝ անկախ անհատի որևէ հատկանիշից. իրավապաշտպան".«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան.6 April 2019.
  8. ^ab"Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO".NSWP.2021.
  9. ^"Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO".Retrieved11 March2023.
  10. ^Araxie Cass (1 February 2023)."Azad Sparks: The Fight for Transgender Rights in Armenia with Lilit Martirosyan".Azad Archives.Retrieved8 February2023.
  11. ^"ESWA Members".European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance.
  12. ^"16 Մայիսի, 2016".New Generation Humanitarian NGO.
  13. ^ab"Implemented Projects".Retrieved11 March2023.
  14. ^"Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO".European Endowment for Democracy.
  15. ^"Տրանսգենդեր անձը ստացավ անվանափոխված անձնագիր․" Իրավունքի Կողմ "".armday.am.
  16. ^"Lilit Martirosyan – RighT Side: Human Rights Defender, Armenia".Alturi.26 April 2021.
  17. ^"Improving Allyship For Armenian LGBTQIA+ Communities".YouTube.Retrieved21 November2022.
  18. ^"Երևանում ԼԳԲՏՔ համայնքի համար նոր գրասենյակ է բացվել․ մասնակցել են ՀՀ ՄԻ պաշտպանը և երեք դեսպան".tert.am.Archived fromthe originalon 18 November 2022.Retrieved18 November2022.
  19. ^"The Right Side HRD NGO representatives were on a working visit to the United States of America from February 20 to March 10, 2023".Right Side NGO.Retrieved14 March2023.
  20. ^""I want to live": trans woman murdered in Armenia ".Armenian Weekly.23 August 2023.Retrieved23 August2023.
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