NEW CENTRE IN THE DEFENSE MINISTRY

Interview with senior assistant to the RA Defense Minister-head of the Center for promotion of human rights and ethics, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Avetisyan.

– Mr. Avetisyan, the Center for human rights and ethics – this is news in the defense system. What caused the creation of this Center and what problems does it solve?

– The main objective of the Centre in the Ministry of Defense is to strengthen human rights and ethics in the system of defense, as well as anti-corruption activities. The Centre has a number of tasks, in particular, coordination and promotion of human rights process and ethics in different divisions of Defense Ministry and General Staff, the establishment of appropriate control over fulfillment of the obligations in this sphere, the introduction of new management methods, based on the system of values of human rights and ethics, ensuring the effectiveness of the process, taking as a basis the concept of “Military leadership” and “Management through tasks”.

– And what powers vested the Center?

– Center has the authority to initiate, organize and carry out programs on human rights and ethics for the needs of the Ministry of Defence, as well as in the framework of cooperation with international partners, as well as it has the authority to monitor and evaluate. The Center is authorized to carry on the promotion of human rights and ethics (including ethics violations) by examining reply-letters prepared by the divisions on the complaints and requests submitted to the RA Defense Minister.

Centre, under the instruction of Defense Minister, may make unannounced visits to the units with the aim of the rapid assessment of the situation of strengthening human rights and ethics in the field of defense and investigation of target tasks.

Our functions include the provision of advice and scientific-practical-methodical manuals to strengthen human rights and ethics, as well as, if necessary, develop appropriate action plans and monitoring their implementation.

We carry out examination of legal acts relating to the defense sector, in terms of ethics and human rights.

The Centre is also authorized to organize conferences, debates, courses and other activities in cooperation with international partners, research and educational institutions, non-governmental organizations.

We provide support in the revision and improvement of the system of conceptual documents, training programs, legal acts relating to the defense sector.

– Who and how implements the Centre’s activity?

– Current activities of the Centre organizes and supervises the senior assistant to the Defense Minister-head of the Center for strengthening human rights and ethics. The main activity of the Centre is carried out by means of workshops and expert consultative work. The chiefs of departments of the RA Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces shall each designate one primary and one back-up representative and ensure their participation in the working meetings of the Centre, which shall be held not less than once in two months on the decision of the Chief of the Centre.

GAYANEH POGHOSYAN