On 12 December 2022 the Human Rights Lecture Room was inaugurated at the Military University of the Ministry of Defence named after V. Sargsyan. The Human Rights Lecure Room was opened following the expert and technical support provided by the Council of Europe Project Human Rights in the Armed Forces-Phase II (the ‘’Project’’). The Project worked with the Military University to develop the Human Rights Course, which was later adjusted from the perspective of gender mainstreaming and national legal framework and practice. Following the development of the Human Rights Course, the respective teaching Manual was also developed under the Project for the professors who teach at the Military University of Armenia. In addition, the Project trained several professors at the University on interactive teaching methods. To unable teaching the course in an environment which would allow application of interactive teaching methods and new technologies, the Project purchased technical equipment for the Human Rights Lecture Room.
During the formal opening Colonel Artur Yeroyan, Rector of the Military University of the Ministry of Defence named after V. Sargsyan thanked the Council of Europe for very successful cooperation and for enhancing human rights education in the University. Ms Leila Zhdanova, Deputy Head of Council of Europe Office in Yerevan mentioned that ‘’this is yet another step made by the Armenian authorities towards enhancing the protection and promotion of human rights in the armed forces’. ’’Mr Tigran Karapetyan, Head of the Transversal Challenges and Multilateral Projects Division of the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe stated during the opening, that ‘’teaching human rights in the military university is of the utmost importance. It has a symbolic significance too. Having an increased knowledge of the human rights of military servicepersons is an impetus for setting a human rights-based approach and culture in the military’’.
The Project is implemented by the Council of Europe within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia for 2019-2022.