to join efforts and potential of the members and supporters of the
organization and to aiming to assist in strengthening the Republic of Armenia as a sovereign, democratic, social and rule of law state.
The objectives are:
assist
to the raise the legal consciousness, level of legal culture among the population by means of preaching laws and legal knowledge among the population,
to
organize and realizing necessary legal assistance to natural persons and legal entities,
to
realize court-legal amendments,
to the effective
organization of the educational process in legal educational establishments, to the raise of scientific-educational level of students and young lawyers,
to the development of law, to the study and development of RA legislation,
to the restoration, preservation and dissemination of historical-legal values of Armenian people,
to the establishment of ties with Armenian lawyers and legal
organizations in Diaspora and cooperation with them, thus assisting to deepen and strengthen Armenia-Diaspora ties,
to the protection of rights and legal interests of lawyers who pass military service, as well as their families,
to the protection of rights and interests of the youth, especially students, their consolidation to strengthening and reinforcement of RA statehood,
to deepen and develop the co-operation of non-governmental
organization.
Activity
Directions
providing free legal services to population and legal information dissemination among the society,
activity directed to the raise of scientific-educational level of students-lawyers and young lawyers and to the development of their professional
skills,
organizing
seminars and conferences dedicated to court-legal amendments, existing problems in the social sphere and to the role of non-state
organizations in solving those problems.
Implemented
Projects and Activities
Since 1999 the
organization has established 7 offices in Yerevan and RA 4 regions, which
realize the activity of providing free legal services and information dissemination. In this sphere the
organization has realized the following projects.
"Working out the draft law on non-governmental
organizations with active participation of local NGOs", · Project purpose To work out RA draft law on
"Non-governmental organizations", involving local non-governmental organizations. ·Realized
activities Questionnaires were formed by the experts with the aim of clarifying the opinion and approach of the NGOs about the future draft law. The questionnaires were disseminated among nearly 100 non-governmental
organizations. Then meetings were organized with the participation of project staff and representatives of non-governmental
organizations, during which the thesis of the future draft law, the suggestions and approaches were represented by the
organizations. Besides the project, experts studied appropriate legislative experience of some foreign countries. Then draft law on
"Non-governmental Organizations" was formed on the basis of the received information taking into account the local experience as well, which was submitted to the permanent committee on state legal matters of RA National Assembly. ·Project Results As a result of the project implementation, a draft law on
"Non-governmental Organizations" was prepared which was submitted to the permanent committee on state legal matters of RA National Assembly. - Donor(s):
NGO centre of USA Armenian
assembly.
-Duration: 1995-1996.
"From the Strong NGOs to the strong NGO
sector", · Project Purpose The main aim of the project was to assist in the development of a civil society by means of preaching, in the raise of the role of non-governmental
organizations in social life, to elucidate and clarify the legal field regulating the activity of non-governmental
organizations. ·Realized
Activities The experts of the project published articles in two Armenian and two Russian periodicals, which were dedicated to the legal field, regulating the activity of non-governmental
organizations and to the formation of NGOs, activity principles, etc. · Project Results Armenian and Russian speaking press elucidated the legal field regulating the activity of non-governmental
organizations. - Donor(s):
NGO Centre of USA Armenian assembly. - Duration: 1997.
"Legal
advice", ·Project
aim To establish a centre providing legal services in RA
Yerevan city, to provide free legal services to the newly opened and
acting non-governmental organizations, to organize the practical
work of lawyer-students in the centre and to assist to the
development of their practical working skills. ·Realized
activities In the framework of the project an independent
legal advice centre was established in Yerevan. The centre realized
its activity in two main directions:
a) free legal services to non-governmental and other non-state and non-commercial
organizations. The legal services included oral legal advice, clarification and comments of the laws, preparing legal and other required documents of newly established, as well as of re-registered
organizations, preparing legal and other required documents for enterprises established by the
organizations and for other organizations, preparing contracts, providing legal acts, etc.
b) organizing the practical work of student-lawyers in the project office, training them practical working skills. Nearly 130 students from four educational establishments passed a theoretical training during the project which was dedicated to the legal regulation of advocacy activity,
organization of advocacy services, advocacy ethic problems, international experience of
organizing advocacy services, etc. Besides, they got acquainted with RA legislation software. The students also participated in providing legal advice by the lawyers of the office, obtained practical skills.
In the framework of the project two international seminars on the following topics were
organized:
- "Forming and developing legal
services",
- "Legal regulation of the activity of non-governmental
organizations". Experts from Armenia, Great Britain, Russia, USA, Georgia participated in the seminar. ·
Project results Nearly 250 non-governmental organizations got legal advice. The legal awareness of non-governmental
organizations was noticeably raised. Nearly 130 students from four educational establishments passed theoretical and practical practice on legal regulation of advocacy activity,
organization of advocacy services, advocacy ethic problems, the international experience of
organizing advocacy services. - Donor(s):
British
"Know How" foundation. - Duration: 1997-1998.
"Centres
of free legal aid", · Project aim The main aim of the project was to establish centres, providing free legal services in RA Lori (Vanadzor) and Gegharkunik (Gavar) regions, provide free legal services to the vulnerable population of the above mentioned regions, provide legal information. ·Realised
activities In the framework of the project centres of free
legal aid and information dissemination were established in RA
Vanadzor and Gavar cities. The centres provided the following
services:
a) free legal advice; the advice was realized in the following ways:
- oral advice,
- preparation of written documents,
- oral advice by the telephone,
- clarification of laws and other legal acts.
b) dissemination of legal information:
- The RA legislation software was installed in the office, which included the whole legislative basis of RA and is periodically refreshed. The clients were provided required legislative acts or some parts of them free. ·Project results In the result of the project nearly 2500 citizens of Lori and Gegharkunik region received free legal advice and information. - Donor(s):
United States Information Service (USIS). - Duration: 1999-2000.
"Legal
training and information centre", · Project aim To assist to the raise of scientific-educational level of student-lawyers and young lawyers working in practice, to assist to the provision of access to modern legal resources and means of connection, to provide them with fresh legal information, to
organize the training of young lawyers, to assist to the development of their professional and subsidiary abilities. ·Realized
activities and those that are in process In the framework of
the project a modern legal training and information centre was
formed in AYLA central office. A legal library for universal use was
established in the centre, which is filled with modern books on law.
Now the library has nearly 1600 books in Armenian, Russian and
English. The literature includes all the branches and sub-branches
of law. The library also has different professional magazines,
handbooks and other publications. The library is periodically
complemented with new literature and magazines. RA legislative
computer software is installed in the computers of the centre, which
includes the whole legislative base of Armenia (laws,
sub-legislative acts, international contracts). Once a month the
newly adopted acts as well as the legislative amendments are
installed into the computers. The centre has constant Internet
connection. Seminars, training courses and discussions dedicated to
different areas of RA legislation are being organized in the centre
periodically. Some training courses on RA Civil and Civil Procedural
Codes have already been realized in which participated nearly 200
young lawyers. Nearly 15000 persons made use of the resources of the
centre. Now a training course dedicated to Human Rights and European
Law is being passed in the centre. Nearly a 100 persons have already
participated in this training. Courses of the English language and
computer are also organized in the centre. Nearly a 100 persons have
participated in this course. All the services of the centre are
free. · Project results In the result of
realizing the project an access to modern legal resources was provided to young lawyers, as well as to others who make use of the services of the project, they are provided with fresh legal information, their professional skills are being improved. - Donor(s):
"Cordaid" Holland charitable organization, Armenian representation of American Bar Association Central and East European Law Initiative. - Duration: 1999 still active
"Centre
of free legal aid", · Project aim The main aim of the project is to establish a centre providing free legal services in RA Syunik region (Kapan), to provide with free legal services and legal information to the vulnerable population of the above mentioned region, provide. ·Realized
activities In the framework of the project a centre of free legal aid and information dissemination was established in RA Kapan city. The centre provided the following services:
a) free legal advice; the advice was realized in the following ways:
- oral advice,
- forming written documents,
- oral advice by the telephone,
- clarification of laws and other legal acts.
b) disseminating legal information
The computer software of RA legislation was installed in the office, which included the whole legislative basis of RA and is refreshed periodically. Required legislative acts or some parts of it were provided to the clients free. · Project results In the result of the project nearly 5000 citizens of Syunik region received free legal advice and information. - Donor(s):
German
"Food Providing Project Southern Armenia" (GTZ). - Duration: 1999 still active.
"The
legal field and legal information as a main precondition of
migration aversion", · Project aim The main aim of the project was to assist to the raise the level of competence of the population on the legislative field of migration area, both the inner state legislation of the Republic of Armenia and that of foreign countries and to disseminate the gathered legal information among the population, to gather information on different migration laws and to publish it in popular booklets. ·Realized
activities In the framework of the project the following activities were
realized:
- RA legislative field regulating migration area was studied,
- migration legislation of nearly ten countries was studied,
- in the result of the realized
studies informative leaflets were formed and published which were disseminated among the population. · Project results in the result of project
realization the migration legislation of Armenia and nearly ten other countries was studied which were systemized published and disseminated among the population, assisting to the competence on migration legislation. - Donor(s):
Migration international
organization. - Duration: 01.04. 2000
31.07.2000.
"Regional
legal informative advice centres", · Project aim technically and by informative means, as well as by professional literature to assist to the regional offices of Armenian Young Lawyers Association, to form a handbook, which will help to the
organizations providing free legal services, as well as to those that will
realize such activity, to organize training courses for organizations
providing free legal services. ·Realized
activities in the framework of the project :
- the regional offices of Armenian Young Lawyers Association were complemented with modern technical means and professional literature,
- a handbook on "Centres Providing Free Legal Services and Information
Dissemination" was formed and published twice by the project manager and the experts,
- a training was realized by
project experts in which participated nearly 20 organizations
involved in providing free legal services. · Project results In the result of the activity
realized in the framework of the project the level of competence with technical means and professional resources of Armenian Young Lawyers Association regional offices was raised, a handbook for
organizations involved in providing free legal services, which was later provided to the
organizations acting in this sphere by means of training courses. - Donor(s):
"Chemonics" Inc. - (Chemonics International - USAID). - Duration: 01.08. 2000
30.04.2001.
"CITIZENS
advice bureaux", · Project aim The main aim of the project is to provide free legal advice and information services to the population of RA Yerevan city, Gegharkunik and Lori regions, to provide outreach free legal services to the population of Yerevan, Gegharkunik, Lori, Syunik, Shirak regions, to study the legal needs of the population, as well as to study the field of the
organizations providing free legal services and the geography of their activity. ·Realized
activities The following activities were realised in the
framework of the project:
- outreach free legal services
were realized for the population of other places by five regional
offices of Armenian Young Lawyers Association (Vanadzor, Gyumri,
Kapan, Gavar, Goris),
- Yerevan central office of the
organization, as well as the regional offices of Vanadzor and Gavar provided free legal advice and information services to the population, 32 TV programs were
organized by Vanadzor and Gavar TV companies that were directed to the legal competence of the population,
- 14 informative leaflets on different branches of RA legislation were formed and published for the population, every leaflet with 5000 copies, which were disseminated among the population,
- to find out the legal needs of the population a sociological inquiry was
realized, the results of which were published in the study on "Free Legal Services in
Armenia",
- a study was realized by project staff on the
organizations acting in RA and providing free legal services and on the geography of their services, the results of which were published in a separate book entitled
"Free Legal Services in Armenia",
- nearly 10000 citizens of Yerevan, Gegharkunik, Lori, Shirak received free legal advice and information. · Project results the project offices with their activity assisted to the legal competence and provision of advice to the population, legal needs of RA population and the activities of the
organizations that are to satisfy them was studied. - Donor(s):
Great Britain Department for International Development (DFID). - Duration: 01.09. 2000
30.06.2001.
"Asylum
foundation and strengthening national abilities", · Project aim the main aim of the project is to provide free legal services to refugees and asylum seekers and to assist to the protection of their rights and legal interests. · Activities that are being
realized the following activities are being realized in the framework of the project:
- protection of refugees rights and legal interests is being realized
in state and non-state bodies that are connected with dwelling eviction, housing, labour and other problems,
- protection of asylum seekers rights defined by RA legislation, that are connected with entering the territory of RA, as well as with the process of getting a status of a refugee,
- refugees and asylum seekers receive oral legal advice (clarifications and explanations of the legislation), written documents are formed (complaints, questionnaires, statements of claim),
- training courses on international legal acts and RA inner-state legislation on refugees are
organized and realized for lawyers and student-lawyers. · Project results during the
realization of the project free legal services (mainly advocacy) were provided to nearly 250 refugees and asylum seekers, four training courses have been
realized in which 55 lawyers and students participated. - Donor(s):
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). - Duration: 2000 still active.
"Regional
centres of legal information and aid", · Project aim the main aim of the project was to assist to the raise of legal consciousness and legal awareness of the population in RA Shirak and Syunik regions by means of providing free legal services and legal information dissemination. Three offices act in the framework of the project. In the above mentioned regions the offices broadcast a series of programs named
"We and Our Rights" on local TV companies during which the lawyers of the offices give clarifications and explanations on the legislative questions in which the citizens are more interested. · Activities that are being
realized The following activities were realized during the project:
- the regional offices in Kapan, Gyumri and Goris of Armenian Young Lawyers Association provided free legal advice and informative services to the population,
- 16 TV programs were organized
on Kapan, Gyumri and Goris local TV companies. The programs were named
"We and Our Rights" during which clarifications and explanations on legal regulations were done by the lawyer of the office and the representative of the appropriate state
body. · Project results the project offices with their activity assisted to satisfy the legal needs of the population in the mentioned regions
realizing activities directed to legal competence and legal advice provision, TV programs on legal issues were broadcast. During project
realization more than 7000 persons were provided legal services, 48 TV programs were broadcast. - Donor(s):
"Eurasia" foundation (US International Development Agency). - Duration: 01.10. 2000
30.09.2001.
"Philip
Jessup international law moot court competition", · Project aim the main aim of the project is to
organize the preliminary stages of Philip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2001 and 2002 in Armenia. Philip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is an annual competition dedicated to international law in which teams of student-lawyers from different countries participate. A local competition is
realized in each country the winner of which in a final round competes with the winners of those from other local competitions. · Activities that are being
realized Now the summary of the results of 2002 competition is being prepared. · Project results 8 teams from educational establishments of Armenia participated in the local competition in 2001 and 2002. In 2001 the winner team was the one from Gyumri branch of Yerevan Management University, which participated in the competition in Washington and was the 60th out of 68 teams. In 2002 the winner team was the one from Yerevan State University Law Faculty, which participated in the final competition in Washington and was the 72nd out of 75 teams. - Donor(s):
Armenian representation of American Bar Association Central and East European Law Initiative (US International Development Agency). - Duration: 01.11. 2000 30.04.2002.
"Monitoring
of local self-governing institute in South Caucasus countries", · Project aim the main aim of the project was to prepare a big project on monitoring of local self-governing institute in South Caucasus countries, which will be
realized by Armenian Young Lawyers Association, Union of Lawyers of the Caucasus (Georgia) and Azerbaijani lawyers union. ·Realized
activities In the result of immediate communication and meetings of the representatives of the mentioned
organizations, the common principles of the future big project were worked out. · Project results A project on monitoring of local self-governing institute in South Caucasus countries was prepared, which will be submitted for financing and will be
realized in the future. - Donor(s):
"Eurasia" foundation (US International Development Agency). - Duration: 01.11. 2000
15.12.2000.
"Cooperation", · Project aim the main aim of the project is to strengthen the coalition of the newly developed non-governmental
organizations that continually provide legal aid to the vulnerable groups of the society. ·Realized
activities -
a) The "Description of Work Conditions" was worked out and accepted by the members of the coalition, which includes the common problems of the coalition, the main principles of the activity of the coalition and the rights and responsibilities of the members of the coalition.
b) The official home page of "Members of the coalition of
organizations acting in the sphere of providing free legal services and/or information
dissemination" www.legalaid.am was formed and opened, the main aim of which is to elucidate the activities of
"Members of the coalition of organizations acting in the sphere of providing free legal services and/or information
dissemination" and to find new sources of financing for them.
c) A virtual exhibition of "Members of the coalition of
organizations acting in the sphere of providing free legal services and/or information
dissemination" where the activities of the member organizations of the coalition directed to providing free legal services and information dissemination was represented to the society, appropriate state bodies, international and local
organizations.
d) A two-day seminar took place in which the members of the coalition, international and local appropriate
organizations, mass-media participated. Also "The Description of Work
Conditions", as well as the future plans and projects were confirmed. ·Project results The members of the coalition accepted
"The Description of Work Conditions", started acting the official home page of
"Members of the coalition of organizations acting in the sphere of providing free legal services and/or information
dissemination" www.legalaid.am, the virtual exhibition of "Members of the coalition of
organizations acting in the sphere of providing free legal services and/or information
dissemination" was opened and the future plans and projects of the coalition were confirmed. - Donor(s):
"Chemonics International" Inc. (USAID). - Duration: 18.03. 2002
18.06.2002.
Future
Projects and Plans
to widen the number and geography of offices providing free legal services,
to assist to the development of coalition of
organizations providing free legal services, to the raise and widening of the quality of services provided by those
organizations,
to
realize projects directed to the improvement of professional skills of young lawyers,
to
organize international and local seminars dedicated to different branches of law, as well as meetings of young lawyers.
Mission,
Aims and Objectives