Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO | |
Իրավունքի Կողմ | |
 | |
| Founded | 2016; 9 years ago (2016) |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Non-governmental organization |
| Focus | Transgender rights,Sex workers' rights,LGBT rights in Armenia,LGBT activism |
| Headquarters | Yerevan |
| Location | |
| Methods | Advocacy |
Director | Lilit Martirosyan |
Main organ | General Assembly |
| Affiliations | Transgender Europe[1] |
| Website | rightsidengo |
Right Side NGO (Armenian:Իրավունքի Կողմ,romanized: Aj koghm) is the firsttransgender rights organization inArmenia and the first trans-led organization in theSouth Caucasus region.[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 oftransgender individuals andsex workers in Armenia, to promote theirhuman rights protection, and to advocate for the change of public policy around transgender andsex work issues.[3][4]
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 workers and 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, raisingHIV prevention 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 Armenia on related LGBTQ+ matters, including advocating for easiergender self-identification.[10]
Right Side NGO has established cooperative relations with diplomatic missions,United Nations agencies, 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]
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 Democracy to 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 passports with names which are in line with the personsgender identity and 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 Tulip of the year during a ceremony organized by theGovernment of the Netherlands onHuman Rights Day.[8]
Also in 2020, the NGO began cooperation with the HPLGBT organization inUkraine and 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 space office for the LGBTQ community was opened in Yerevan by the Right Side NGO with support from theSwedish embassy 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 Society hosted Right Side NGO founder Lilit Martirosyan inGlendale, California for a public discussion on the situation of LGBTQ+ people in Armenia,discrimination and 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 candlelightvigil for 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, theDutch ambassador to Armenia and a representative from theBritish embassy. 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]
As of November 2022, the Right Side NGO governing board is composed of five activists, including two trans women, two trans men, and onenon-binary person who govern the organization. In addition, three of the board members are sex workers.[3]
