“The Ombudsman’s Staff performed the reserved functions in 2021,” the RA Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan noted, presenting the State Budget Execution of the RA Human Rights Defender for 2021. It was debated at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Social Affairs held on June 8.
The structure implemented a budget program in the reporting year, which included three measures aimed at providing services for protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, training of public servants of the Ombudsman’s Staff and improving the technical equipment of the Staff. The approved budget in 2021 with three measures amounted to 523 million 480 thousand AMD, the performance – 97% and more.
The rapporteur noted that the expenses under the responsibility of the Ombudsman’s Staff increased by 12.6% compared to 2020 in 2021.
Kristinne Grigoryan informed that in 2021, the Ombudsman’s Staff exercised control over the protection of human rights and freedoms by state and local self-government bodies and officials, as well as private organizations, contributed to the restoration of violated rights and the improvement of normative legal acts.
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In the reporting year, the structure submitted legislative proposals on children’s rights, participated in the work organized by international organizations, visited the families displaced from Artsakh and temporarily residing in Armenia. The structure also continued the awareness-raising activities. In the previous year, 200 children visited the Ombudsman’s Staff, got acquainted with the opportunities to protect their rights.
In terms of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, the Office of the Human Rights Defender carried out monitoring in protection of the established rights.
According to Kristinne Grigoryan, about 1200 media monitoring was carried out, systematic issues were raised, suggestions were made in 2021. The Human Rights Defender noted that they followed the issues that arose in the context of ensuring the right of persons with disabilities to vote in the snap elections of the local self-government bodies and the National Assembly held in Armenia during 2021.
Work has been done to raise awareness of persons with disabilities about their rights.
185 legal acts were submitted to the Human Rights Defender, 12 auxiliary positions were submitted to the Constitutional Court, the Human Rights Defender submitted 10 applications to the Constitutional Court on her own initiative.
In 2021, compared to 2020, the number of calls to the current 24-hour hot-line increased by 20%, the number of applications-complaints also increased to 21.181.
The representatives of the Staff also made monitoring visits to child care and protection institutions, as well as penitentiary, closed and semi-closed institutions.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia