The project is designed to promote transparency and openness of the government, as well as support the people’s involvement and participation in addressing public issues through promoting effective and efficient access to information.

This goal will be achieved through:

• working with national and local governments to establish or improve mechanisms for citizens to exercise their rights and government to efficiently and transparently fulfill its obligations under freedom of information legislation;
• providing trainings to central and local government officials, as well as citizens and non-governmental groups, on principles of freedom of information and its specific application and enforcement in Armenia;
• public education campaign on freedom of information issues;
• developing strategic litigation on FOI;
• working with the RA Government and RA National Assembly for implementing mechanisms.

The proposed primary strands under the grant are:

1. Establishment of mechanisms for logging-in, tracking and addressing FOI requests in 3 regional central government bodies and 2 municipalities (10 in total).
2. Training of various actors (central and local government representatives, in particular PR officers, as well as civil society groups).
3. Strategic Litigation on access to information.
4. Establishment of non-formal educational Center.
5. Improving mechanisms for proactive publication.
6. Improvement of public outreach efforts.
7. Fostering Implementation of the Open Government Partnership Armenia Country Action Plan and monitoring of the implementation process.
8. Public Education Campaign and Litigation.
9. Graduation and sustainability plan.

Supported by USAID Armenia. Project duration is 5 years (April 2008 – October 2013).