PAC Meeting Spotlights Achievements of "Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together" Project

The recent meeting of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) for the "Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together" initiative, held on November 16, showcased achievements and advancements made by the project. The meeting at the UN Conference Hall in Yerevan brought together key stakeholders committed to promoting and enhancing labour rights in Armenia.

Established in line with the ILO's approach to fostering social dialogue, the PAC plays a crucial advisory role in ensuring that project strategies, objectives, and activities are effectively communicated to constituents and partners. This approach fosters a sense of ownership among the beneficiaries, facilitating collaboration between the government, employers, and workers through social dialogue—critical for ensuring workplace adherence to labour laws and safeguarding employees' rights.

During the opening remarks, Mr. Mikhail Pouchkin, Deputy Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (DWT/CO-Moscow), emphasized the impact of the ILO PILRAT project in strengthening Armenian labour institutions. He highlighted the project's substantial collaborations throughout the year with key institutions, such as the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MLSA), the Health and Labour Inspection Body (HLIB), and the Inspection Bodies Coordination Bureau (IBCB) of the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Pouchkin noted that these efforts aimed to promote greater compliance with national labour law and International Labour Standards (ILS).

Mr. Nver Sargsyan, Project Coordinator of the "Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together" ILO project, presented the progress, obstacles and some of the major achievements discussed during the meeting, including:

• Capacity building initiatives for the labour inspectors of the Labour Legislation Legal Supervision and Worker's Health Protection and Safety Supervision Divisions of the Territorial Centres of the HLIB.
• Training of Trainers (ToT) for 27 labour inspectors, with 11 selected as trainers for further facilitation activities.
• Agreement with the HLIB to design and build the Electronic Case Management System (ECMS).
• Completion of the "Guidelines for Internal Grievance Handling" based on ILO's relevant recommendations and guidelines.
• Ongoing collaboration with the Academy of Justice of the Republic of Armenia to finalize blended-learning courses on International Labour Law and Domestic Labour Law.

Nver Sargsyan also outlined upcoming initiatives, including finalizing the Wireframe and software requirements specification (SRS) for an ILO National Consultant to develop an interactive mobile application. Additionally, an assessment of the effectiveness of existing tools and an exploration of potential tools for achieving higher compliance with ILS and labour legislation in Armenia is underway. The project is now initiating an extension to facilitate the logical progression of activities that couldn't be completed due to external factors.

"Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together" ILO Project is funded by the US Department of Labor (USDOL). The project's primary goal is to strengthen labour legislation compliance with internationally accepted standards and increase the availability of judicial and extrajudicial remedies in Armenia.