Recognise. Protect. Realise.

Supporting the protection of migrants’ and asylum seekers’ human rights in Lebanon and Armenia as well as a safe migration of Syrian-Armenian refugees from Lebanon to Armenia

Project Duration: 01.01.2017-31.12.2019

Number of Beneficiaries:  600 vulnerable refugee families – on average the family size is 5 persons (via awareness sessions, legal counseling, language courses, vocational and entrepreneurship trainings)

Location: Armenia, Lebanon

Overall objective:

  1. To advocate for policies aiming at the protection of rights of migrants (incl. asylum seekers and refugees) and to monitor the implementation of respective policies.
  2. To enhance the abilities of migrants (incl. asylum seekers and refugees) to access their rights and to prevent negative impacts resulting from migration.

Target groups:

  • vulnerable refugee families – on average the family size is 5 persons (via awareness sessions, legal counseling, language courses, vocational and entrepreneurship trainings)
  • 2 local grass-roots organizations promoting the rights of migrants and refugees (via grants and capacity building)
  • Ministries and state departments in charge of migration and refugees (via policy recommendations and civil society dialogue)
  • NGO networks (via roundtable meeting)
  • General public in Armenia (via media campaign)

Expected results:

  • 1.1. Network cooperation of organizations in the domain of migrants’ rights and participation within the policy process are strengthened
  • 1.2. Project partner organizations are capable to monitor policy implementation and to advocate for the adoption of recommendations in a qualified manner
  • 1.3. Awareness on the rights of migrants is raised within the population as well as within the migrant community (incl. asylum seekers and refugees)
  • 2.1: Migrants and refugees in Lebanon and Armenia know their rights and how to claim them
  • 2.2: Local grass-roots organizations that promote and protect the rights of migrants (incl. asylum seekers and refugees) are strengthened
  • 2.3: Syrian-Armenian refugees in Lebanon and Armenia receive information about asylum and services in Armenia and have access to their rights in Armenia

Activities:

  • To advocate for policies aiming at the protection of rights of migrants(incl. asylum seekers and refugees) and to monitor the implementation of respective policies.
  • Partner organizations participate in national for / bring in perspective (migrants’ rights), quarterly
  • Partner organizations organize round tables with state and non-state actors on migrants’ rights.
  • Organize research study on migrants’/refugees’ rights and gaps (covering legal framework and de facto implementation of rights).
  • Arrange yearly study visits for best practice exchange on migrants’ rights, advocating and monitoring of migrants’ rights.
  • Formulate policy paper with recommendations, on the basis of research study.
  • Advocate contents of policy paper in front of state authorities.
  • Elaborate awareness raising material (booklet on rights and status of refugees, booklet on organizations providing assistance to refugees). Hold awareness sessions in partnership with key stakeholders for 600 refugee families (including 500 Syrian-Armenian families) in Armenia (Caritas Armenia):
  • Organize a media campaign to increase knowledge on and encourage public discussions between different institutions and civil society on the rights of migrants.

To enhance the abilities of migrants (incl. asylum seekers and refugees) to access their rights and to prevent negative impacts resulting from migration.

  • Provide legal counseling for 300 refugee families in Armenia.
  • Elaborate ToR and selection criteria for grass-roots organizations who will receive financial support.
  • Invite grass-roots organizations to submit proposal to receive financial support.
  • Select grass roots organizations who will receive financial support: evaluation of applications and information to applicants.
  • Provide capacity building trainings (for selected grass-roots organization and other organizations active in the field of migrants’ and refugees’ rights).
  • Follow-up use of financial support to grass-roots organizations.
  • Elaborate booklets on rights of and services for Syrian-Armenian refugees.
  • Distribute the booklets to Syrian-Armenians in Syria via Syrian-Armenian network contacts of Caritas Armenia.
  • Provide hotline information service both in Lebanon and in Armenia for Syrian-Armenians through telephone, email, webpage, and social media. Organize language courses for 300 Syrian-Armenian refugees in Armenia.
  • Identify specific needs of Syrian-Armenian refugees for labor market integration.
  • Provide trainings and counseling for labor market integration according to identified needs (vocational / entrepreneurship trainings and counseling for business set-up).
  • Organize trainings for Syrian Armenian Youth, aimed at raising awareness on Human Rights issues.

Partners:  European Union, Caritas Austria, Caritas Lebanon

Project manager: Lusine Stepanyan

Coordinator: Angela Ter-Vardanyan