German Embassy in Yerevan on 09 June 2015 concluded an agreement with “New Generation” Humanitarian NGO to financially support its project “Capacity building and empowerment of human rights defenders and emerging leaders for LGBT rights protection in Armenia” scheduled for 2015. The project is sponsored with an amount of 30,000 €. It aims at promoting LGBT human rights in Armenia, and at fighting against their discrimination and against homophobia in parts of the general population. The following measures to be taken in the context of the project are to dispel prejudice and to strengthen the LGBT rights to self-development and to self-determination.

Activities to be covered by the project to strengthen the position of LGBT in the Armenian society are:

• to provide at least 15 LGBT homeless youth with a shelter in order to ensure their safety and wellbeing during the project (ongoing support will be provided by “New Generation” Humanitarian NGO)
• to provide free of charge legal consulting services and formation of legal documentation for LGBT people
• to conduct a 5-days training on Human Rights and Diversity topic for 15 human rights defenders from the 10 regions of Armenia (15 representatives of HRD organizations, individual activists fighting against stigma/discrimination)
• to conduct a 5-days training on Human Rights and Leadership topic for 15 LGBT emerging leaders in order to enhance their skills and capacity to fight for freedom and justice (15 LGBT activists from the 10 regions of Armenia)
• to conduct 2 close round table-discussions on the topics of “LGBT issues in Armenia and suggestions for their solution” and “Formulas of cooperation of international and diplomatic institutions, HRD organizations and individual activists for LGBT rights protection in Armenia” with participation of International and local LGBT rights protecting organizations in Armenia

Human Rights are universal and indivisible. Human Right politics of course include the rights of LGBT. Governmental as well as nongovernmental persecution and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and homophobic attacks violate fundamental Human Rights as have been laid down in the General Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

German and European human rights policy puts an emphasis on strengthening civil society, especially by protecting and supporting human rights defenders. The German Federal Government speaks out against any kind of discrimination based on sexual orientation and is strongly committed in its fight against the discrimination of LGBT. As is the case here German Foreign Office therefore promotes projects as well that aim at improving the human rights situation of LGBT in the context of its bilateral cooperation.