On Monday 9th March, Karine Antonyan (president of the association, and jurist), Edmon Simonian (doctor and vice-director of an important hospital in Yerevan) and Lamara Kocharyan (lawyer) welcomed us at the offices of the CRPCF. The association, founded in 2001, has 8 members altogether, all being distinguished personalities in their own field: law, medicine or higher education.

Karine Antonyan presented the CRPCF to us. It is the only association in Armenia whose purpose is the protection of children’s rights. The members of the association take action by giving their time and using their network of contacts for the defence of children rights.

The members of the CRPCF ask the authorities to apply the existing laws and to respect the Children Rights UN charter that was ratified by Armenia. For example, the law that makes provisions for the free medical care of children under 14 years old was applied in fact only for children aged 0 to 3 years old. Following the action of the CRPCF, authorities extended the use of this law to children aged 4 to 7 years old.

The CRPCF also tries to encourage people to vote for new laws that favour children. At the time of our visit, the association was campaigning the parliament to impose free and obligatory medical care for all children under the age of 14.

Lobbying actions are sometimes more targeted. When Karine Antonyan heard that the Children’s Hospital of Yerevan was going to be privatised for the modest sum of $25,000, she alerted the Armenian President to stop the sale. This vigilance allowed this hospital to remain a public service.

At last, the CRPCF gives free legal aid to destitute families so that children’s rights can be better taken into account, most notably numerous divorce cases. The association has in this way given more than 3500 legal consultations since its creation. Even though the aim of the CRPCF is conciliation, it does not retreat from appealing to the legal system to defend the children’s interests.

   Karine Antonyan, Amar (our interpreter) and Lamara Kocharyan

We left to go to the Tribunal of Oktamberyan, which is about 50 kilometres from Yerevan. There, Lamara Kocharyan was going to plead the case of a mother-of-two before us. When her divorce was pronounced, the children’s father had given fake documents in order to pay the minimum alimony, which is 7000 Drams (€16) per month for both children. The CRPCF was asking for the alimony to be reviewed.

The defence speech started. Even though Lamara Kocharyan appeared to us as a rather discreet woman, her expression changed and she was determined when setting out the facts. The judge, on the other hand, seemed to be listening absent-mindedly. Now and then, he glanced at us, probably wondering what these two French persons were doing in his tribunal. Then, he would regain his appropriate austere appearance.

Half an hour later, the session was over. Lamara Kocharyan looked optimistic about the verdict. We learned later on that she had managed to get the alimony revised to 30 000 Drams (€68) per month, four times the initial amount.

 

 

 

We were invited behind the scenes of the tribunal to meet with the judge. He appeared to be a rather friendly person. He shared with us his very positive impressions about the work of the association. He dropped his man-of-law mask and granted us the honour of taking a picture of him, wearing his robe for the occasion.


 

As well as protecting children’s rights, the CRPCF also takes numerous actions in order to improve children’s health and wellbeing.

On our way back from the tribunal, the director of the municipal crËche of Metzamor welcomed us. At the time of the Soviet Union, the nuclear plant next to the town used to finance this creche. But the town council did not take over when the government changed. The building is in a terrible state for lack of maintenance, and the CRPCF finances some of the most urgent renovation works.

  • The CRPCF also financed the renovation of the intensive care unit of the Children’s Hospital in Yerevan, and handed out vitamins and spectacles for about 150 children.
  • The association is also trying to reinstate a system similar to the mobile emergency medical service that existed at the time of the USSR but has collapsed since. Currently, there is an ambulance service only in Yerevan and a few big cities.
  • It happens from time to time that the members of the association finance some of the surgical operations for children over the age of 7 years. They negotiate the price with doctors in their network.
  • The association hands out clothes, shoes and food to the disadvantaged families.

How to help the CRPCF?

The association is interested in all offers of help available to take action for the wellbeing of children. Financially, clothes wise, in matters of medical equipment, etc, needs are huge, but Karine Antonyan insists on the fact that people should consult the association before taking any initiative. It has happened before that the CRPCF received parcels full of unusable clothes. The association had to pay to have them burnt, when the money spent to send the parcels could have been used to buy everything needed directly…

The CRPCF takes action in the legal field thanks to its members working on a voluntary basis. The running costs and the other actions of the CRPCF are financed by its members and sometimes by unconditional donations. This association is claiming to be an opposition force and its priority is to keep its independence.
We salute the determination and implication of the CRPCF members for the defence of the children’s interest. By dint of work and pragmatism, their actions continue to bear fruit.

Contacts

E-mail : crpcf@operamail.com
Website : www.crpcf.netfirms.com
Telephone (in Armenian) : +374 10 573 356
Fax : +374 10 269 282

François
(Translation: Yolène Dabreteau)