LocationsClosing Ceremony of the UNDP “Women in Politics, Public Administration and Civil Society” (WiP 2.0) Project
April 29, 2025
Appreciating the Project Team during the Closing Event
On 16th of April, the official closing ceremony of the “Women in Politics, Public Administration and Civil Society” project took place, implemented by UNDP in Armenia, with financial support from the UK Good Governance Fund, and in close cooperation with the OxYGen Foundation and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (MTAI).
This impactful initiative has empowered women across Armenia to take on leadership roles in local governance, public administration, and civil society - contributing to more inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels. It also evolved around promoting gender-responsive policies and practices within the public administration, as well as around strengthening the capacities of civil society organizations in bottom-up policymaking and monitoring.
The ceremony brought together nearly 120 guests from a wide range of institutions, including the Human Rights Defender’s Office, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Civil Service Office, National Assembly, UN Resident Coordinator Օffice, local self-government (LSG) representatives, community council members, administrative heads, municipal staff, international organizations, diplomatic corps, civil society organizations (CSOs), and project experts.
In her remarks, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, Human Rights Defender of Armenia, highlighted the importance of the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions Assessment, noting its role in fostering a professional, inclusive, and gender-sensitive working environment in the Human Rights Defender’s Office, and in setting a precedent for other public institutions to follow.
Mr. Vache Qalashyan, Head of the Civil Service Office, Republic of Armenia Prime Minister’s Staff, reflected on the long-standing cooperation with UNDP, particularly within the Gender Equality Portfolio. He emphasized the value of this partnership in supporting Armenia’s Public Administration Reform Strategy, and in promoting inclusive governance through gender equality in civil service, and broadly, withinin the public sector of Armenia.
Emphasizing the far-reaching impact of the project, Ms. Lilit Saroyan, Head of the International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, shared that every fourth woman local councilor in Armenia has participated in at least one format of the project. She also underscored the project’s role in strengthening women’s leadership, bottom-up policymaking and participatory budget at the local level.
Mr. Paul Morris, Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy Yerevan, conveyed the UK Government’s pride in supporting UNDP’s gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives since 2019. He applauded the tangible achievements in this domain and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to inclusive governance in Armenia.
Welcoming remarks concluded with Ms. Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative, who emphasized the strong partnerships that were forged throughout the lifespan of the project. She noted that these partnerships were indispensable for the project’s tangible and sustainable results recorded in the areas of women’s leadership, institutional change, and inclusive governance. Ms. Natsvlishvili thanked all partners for their dedication and shared vision.
Following the opening speeches, project results and major achievements were presented. Subsequently, the event featured two panel discussions, moderated by UNDP and the OxYGen Foundation. During these sessions, project beneficiaries, including women local leaders, representatives of local governments, Women and Youth Advisory Councils, and civil society organizations, shared their experiences and reflections. The first panel focused on the project’s efforts to promote continuous learning and inclusive communities covering Women Leadership Schools, “Women2Women” Mentorship Scheme and Women and Youth Advisory Councils formats, while the second panel reflected on the Mentorship for the Civil Society Organizations programme, centered around gender-responsive budgeting and gender-responsive policy monitoring. Panelists highlighted how these formats helped promote gender-sensitive governance and local innovation, while fostering networks for continued learning and collaboration.
The event was concluded by powerful messages from Ms. Tatevik Stepanyan, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and Ms. Gayaneh Yeghiazaryan, Member of the National Assembly, emphasizing the importance of continuing the project’s initiatives for institutionalizing gender-responsive policymaking in Armenia at the national level by supporting the implementation of the fundamental strategies and documents ensuring women’s full and meaningful participation in all spheres of public life, and sustaining collaborative efforts to build resilient, transparent, and inclusive institutions.
“Women in Politics, Public Administration and Civil Society” Project funded by the UK Good Governance Fund was implemented with the OxYGen foundation and in collaboration with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.
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