The OSCE Office in Yerevan, in partnership with the Center on Economic and Legal Analyses NGO, launched the first in a series of training courses in regional Aarhus Centers on Thursday, Aug 20, to enhance the capacities of civil society organizations and local authorities on the third “pillar” of the Aarhus Convention – Access to Justice.

The course was held at the Aparan Aarhus Center. Similar training courses for all 15 Aarhus Centers in Armenia will take place later in the year. The courses will highlight the legal instruments on accessing legal review procedures to enforce the Convention’s standards on access to information and public participation as well as the provisions of domestic environmental law.

Gevorg Danielyan, the key expert from the NGO, will present effective legal solutions to the issues raised by the domestic Aarhus Centers and will suggest appropriate methods in managing issues of mutual concern.

The courses are designed to be attended by representatives of the local Aarhus Centers, civil society organizations, municipality employees, academic and business community where interaction between the Aarhus Centers and local and other administrative bodies will be discussed.

A comprehensive methodological guide on ensuring environmental law protection, including samples of appeals to state or private institutions requesting information, together with other relevant documents, is expected to be published as an outcome of these courses.