To commemorate International Human Rights Day, UNDP, in partnership with the Human Rights Defender’s Office (HRDO) of Armenia, organized a high-level international conference titled “Ethical Standards in Ensuring Equality and Preventing Discrimination.” 

The event was held within the framework of the European Union (EU)-funded ATHENA project: Advancing the Human Rights Agenda and Enhancing National Authorities, jointly implemented by UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA.

Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, Human Rights Defender of Armenia,  Vassilis Maragos, EU Ambassador to Armenia, and Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, gave opening remarks during the event.

The conference brought together state officials, international experts, media representatives, and civil society actors to discuss the critical role of ethical standards in fostering a culture of tolerance. 

The agenda focused on three key areas:

1. The ethical responsibilities of state bodies and the media in curbing hate speech and disinformation, including in the context of artificial intelligence.
2. The essential role of human rights education in dismantling stereotypes and promoting a culture of tolerance.
3. The practical effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions’ toolkits in identifying discrimination and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups.

Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, emphasized the urgent need for ethical standards as a guiding principle in an era of rapid information dissemination. She highlighted that protecting human rights requires both strong institutions and clear legislation, specifically advocating for the adoption of the Law on Ensuring Equality as a critical step in Armenia’s democratic and European integration process.