Strengthening Civil Society Resilience Across the Eastern Partnership Region
Published: Mar 27, 2026 Reading time: 3 minutes Share: Share an articleOver the past two years, our Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Regio regional initiative aimed at advancing civil society development has brought together 10 civil society organisations (CSOs), delivering tangible and lasting results across Armenia.
Implemented within the framework of the Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Region programme, the Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Region project has resulted in 19 sub-grant projects, seven capacity-building trainings, and three networking events. These included the hosting of Moldovan CSOs in Armenia, fostering cross-border collaboration, and professional exchange. In addition, participating organisations benefited from 15 tailored mentoring engagements, alongside the sharing of international expertise from our team at People in Need.
The project has had a profound impact, with the 10 grassroots Community-Based Organisations directly engaging and supporting more than 3,000 participants. Through strengthened capacities and newly acquired tools, these CBOs have been able to expand both the scope and quality of their work.
Their initiatives have addressed a range of pressing and relevant issues. These include promoting civic education and contributing to the development of youth policy, and participating in the drafting of the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Youth Policy and related legislative acts. Efforts have also focused on developing and institutionalising volunteerism, advancing environmental education, and empowering communities to engage in nature conservation and respond effectively to climate change.
The project, funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, concluded with a final event that served as an opportunity to reflect on achievements, assess the changes made, and explore future opportunities for collaboration and growth.
The event featured welcoming remarks from Petr Pirunčík, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Armenia, and Annet Kragt, Civil Society Programme Manager at the European Union Delegation to Armenia. Both speakers highlighted the project’s significance in strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations and enhancing their resilience across the Eastern Partnership region. ։
Alongside the project implementation, cooperation improved in Akhuryan community in Shirak region among young people, local government representatives, civil society, educational institutions, and other stakeholders. This is reported by Pando NGO.
Campaigns on community engagement implemented by the organisation supported the development of participatory governance mechanisms for young people. As a result of close cooperation with the municipality, the Akhuryan community allocated up to AMD 2 million from the state budget in the 2026 budget to support youth initiatives. Civil society organisations can now submit programme proposals to the municipality. This is an important step towards strengthening participatory governance and the role of young people at the local level.
In addition, project grantees Pando, HEBA, and Hub Artsakh NGOs jointly developed and submitted a package of 40 recommendations. These address the implementation of the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Youth Policy, youth participation mechanisms, and the regulation of youth work. The recommendations aim to strengthen the protection of young people’s interests and support their active participation in public and policy processes, said PIN Project Manager Anahit Yernjakyan.
Another initiative is the “Volunteerism Restart” project, implemented jointly by Restart Gavar and Restart Vanadzor NGOs. It aims to support the implementation of the law on volunteer work developed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.
In the long term, the initiative will contribute to the development of a structured, responsible, and sustainable culture of volunteerism among young people.
As the project concludes, its outcomes stand as a testament to the importance of sustained investment in civil society—not only as a driver of local development, but also as a key pillar of regional democratic resilience.
Resilient Civil Society
The civil society organisations participating in the “Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Region” (2024–2026) programme are:
Arvestaran Educational-cultural NGO
- Change Social-healh NGO
- United Evergreens Unity For Nature NGO
- HEBA NGO
- Hub Artsakh NGO
- Pando Community Development NGO
- Regional Sustainable Development NGO
- Restart Gavar NGO
- Restart Vanadzor NGO
- Sustainable Progress NGO
