On 11-12 February, 2005, a conference was held in the International Post-Trauma Rehabilitation Center (IPTRC) of the Armenian Red Cross. The conference was part of the EU-funded coalition project implemented since June 2004 by the “Havat” and “Unison” NGOs. The slogan of the conference was the same as the title of this project: “From Equal Rights - To Equal Opportunities”.


The conference participants included MPs and representatives from various Ministries of RA, the Yerevan Municipalty, the Governors’ offices of all the 10 marzes, international organisations, and private foundations. Two guests had specially arrived from Sweden to participate in the conference: Jamie Bolling, a social anthropologist following a PHD program at the Swedish Institute for Disability Research, information officer for SHIA - The Swedish Disabilty Organisations’ Aid Association and President of the green party for the City of Stockholm, and Ulf Bjarnesson, her personal assistant.
A press conference was held prior to the beginning of the conference. Project Director Tamara Manoukyan, Project Coordinator Armen Alaverdyan as well as representatives from the Government, the National Assembly, the Human Rights Defender of RA, and international organisations answered the journalists’ questions.


The conference opened with welcome address by Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan, the General Director of IPTRC and Louber Alexis, chief of the EU mission in Armenia.
Project Director T.Manoukyan briefly presented the program and the implemented activities. Project Coordinator A.Alaverdyan spoke about the aims and perspectives of the elaboration of the National Plan of Action on Disability. The results of the monitoring carried out in Yerevan and all the marzes of Armenia were presented by Project Sociologist T.Margaryan.
Jamie Bolling presented a comprehensive overview of disability situation in Sweden and answered numerous questions of participants.


MP Artak Arakelyan presented the draft law “On The State Policy of Social Security for Disabled People”. The participants approved the idea of the draft law.
A discussion of the draft law took place and a working group was formed.
During the 2-day conference presentations were made by representatives of Ministries, related state agencies and NGOs from all the marzes.
A letter addressed to the President of Armenia, the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister was worked out and approved by all of the participants. The letter contains an appeal to provide the physical accessibility of sports establishments which will be shortly renovated.