An architect Lilit Mkrtchyan, who two years ago participated in the Step by Step program implemented by the Helsinki Committee of Armenia and supported by the European Union today, besides her main job, is in charge of monitoring the human rights in various sectors of Armenia. Lilit resides in Goris town of Syunik marz but today she cooperates with various participants of the Step by Step program. The latter, each in his/her marz, implements programs related to monitoring of human rights. They publicize the results of their monitoring and periodically organize discussions on that. Lilit says that after participating in this program a unique network was created between the participants, the members of which are in constant communication. “The Step by Step program has given me awareness, knowledge and skills, which I need so much. We think that we know a lot concerning the human rights but in fact we don’t know much,” tells Lilit, in whose opinion this program was successful because besides theoretic knowledge the program was equipped with practical elements. “At the end we have conducted a pilot monitoring in the female penitentiary of Abovyan. Our goal was to find out to what extent the technical conditions in the penitentiary are retained and the defined criteria of communication with the outer world in terms of information and education,” says Lilit by adding that the participants of the Step by Step even today conduct monitoring of human rights in various parts of Armenia and they will keep cooperating amongst each other in the mentioned sphere.
