Women for Development NGO

“Community mobilization through increasing participation, healthy lifestyle and peace education in ”

Project No. 20110210 G /KED-EK 4/2011

Photo Report for the period January 2012 – June 2012

September, 2012

Contact: Dr. Gohar Markosyan

President, Women for Development NGO

Shahinyan str.6a, apt.16

Gyumri 3118

Republic of Armenia

Tel: (+374312) 33007; (+37491) 43 01 61 (mobile)

Fax: (+374312) 33007

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.wfd.am

Meetings with core groups in community for working out the Strategic plan for 2012-2014

Meetings with core groups in community for working out the Strategic plan for 2012-2014

Training of volunteers’ groups in order to fill in questionnaires for their community members

Attachment 4

Meetings with doctor Karine Haroyan on the topics “Sexual maturity” and “Principles of healthy lifestyle” in , Torosgiugh and Community Centres

Attachment 5

Meetings with Psychologist Gohar Melikyan in Arpeni and Torosgiugh Community Centres

Attachment 6

Meetings were held with the Head of Regional Employment office Amalya Adamyan in WFD office and Goghovit community.

Attachment 7

A quarterly reporting meeting with the Community Centers officers was held in WFD office on April 14, 2012. Gevorg Petrosyan, the coordinator of Gyumri “Orhus” Center, also participated in the meeting.

Attachment 8

Talks and discussions on the topic “Gender and Gender Equality” held in , Bayandur, Goghovit and Lanjik communities by the invited specialist Jina Sargizova. Attachment 9

Training of teachers in Lori, Aragatsotn and Tavush marzes

Lori marz Aragatsotn marz Tavush marz Attachment 10

Publishing of “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in Schools” practical guide for class leading teachers’ hours

A practical guide “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in Schools” with attached posters was published in March 2012 in the frames of the project “Peace and Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in Schools” being implemented by the NGO “Women for Development”. The guide is a unique methodological manual, which will help the public school teachers carry out their class leading hours on the issue of conflicts peaceful resolution. The guide can also be used by non-governmental organizations functioning in the sphere of peace education, students of pedagogical universities and all the specialists and individuals who are interested in the issue of peace building and conflicts peaceful resolution. The guide consists of 2 parts: “Conflict management”, which includes the following topics: “What is a conflict? Escalation of Conflict”, “Styles of Behavior in Conflict Situation”, “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Skills, Commandments and Ways”, “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education through Peer to Peer”. The second part of the guide includes several successful examples of the class leading hours held in Gyumri schools based on the manual “Peace and Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in schools” published by the organization back in 2008.

Photos of the attached posters to the “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in Schools” practical guide

Levels of Conflict Escalation

Typical Styles of Behavior in Conflict Situations

Conflict Peaceful Resolution Skills

Principles of Conflict Peaceful Resolution

Methods of Conflict Resolution Attachment 13

The results of the survey among 2670 pupils from 32 schools of 5 Regions of Armenia

Before education After education

35,0% 35,0% 30,0% 30,0% 25,0% 25,0% 20,0% 20,0% Among others 15,0% Among others 15,0% 10,0% By Myself 10,0% By Myself 5,0% 5,0% 0,0% 0,0% Physical Verbal Non direct Physical Verbal Non direct violence violenc e violence violence violence violence

Among By Among By others Myself others Myself Physical Physical violence 8,7% 6,0% violence 2,5% 2,0% Verbal violence 30,6% 13,0% Verbal violence 11,9% 6,0% Non direct Non direct violence 6,5% 3,0% violence 3,1% 2,0%

Attachement 14

Question: Who mediates in most of the cases in order to resolve the conflict among pupils? /comparison of teachers’ and pupils’ answers/

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% Pupils 0% Teachers r s r s r e l e e t i l e h e n p n h p h i o c e t u a c c r o o p a n r e i a N r t e r b t P / e y P r r h e t n e t A t s O s a Si

m d a e H

Other Any Headmaster pupils teacher teacher Principle Parents Sister/brother Noone Pupils 26% 12% 70% 6% 5% 3% 8% Teachers 9% 5% 95% 19% 13% 1% 1%

Attachement 15

The results of the survey among 2670 pupils from 32 schools of 5 Regions of Armenia

During the conflict situations among pupils, how When the conflict occurs between you and often have you noticed cases of physical, verbal someone your age, how often do you take upon or non direct violence? physical, verbal or non direct violence?

40,0% 40,0% 30,0% 30,0% 20,0% Before 20,0% Before 10,0% After 10,0% After 0,0% 0,0% Physical Verbal Non direct Physical Verbal Non direct violence violence vi olenc e violence violence violence

Before After Before After Physical Physical violence 8,7% 2,5% violence 6,0% 2,0% Verbal violence 30,6% 11,9% Verbal violence 13,0% 6,0% Non direct Non direct violence 6,5% 3,1% violence 3,0% 2,0%

Attachement 16

Question: During the conflict situations among pupils, how often have you noticed cases of physical, verbal or indirect violence? /comparison of teachers’ and pupils’ answers/

35,0% 30,0% 25,0% 20,0% Pupils 15,0% Teachers 10,0% 5,0% 0,0% Phisical Verbal violence Not direct violence violence

Pupils Teachers Physical violence 8,7% 13% Verbal violence 30,6% 20% Non direct violence 6,5% 4%

Attachment 17

In November -March 2012 more than 100 teachers of 25 schoools from 4 provinces of Armenia (Lori, Tavush, Aragatsotn, Kotayk) participated in requalification trainings organized by the NGO “Women for Development” in the frames of the project “Peace and Conflict Resolution Education in Schools of Armenia”. The project is directed towards reduction of cases of violence and formation of the atmosphere of peace Armenian schools. The trainings in provinces are carried out through direct assistance of the heads of regional agencies of the National Institute of Education (NIE), specialists, school headmasters and deputy headmasters. The participants of the trainings are mainly class leading teachers of grades 5-9, who received an opportunity to get acquainted with the topics of the practical guide “Conflict Peaceful Resolution Education in Schools” elaborated by the NGO WFD; they gained skills on conflict management and ways of their peaceful resolution. The teachers were given exact methodical directions, posters which would make the teaching more interesting and accessible. The participants of the trainings were given a task to carry out 5 class leading lessons for the pupils. The next meetings with the teachers had the aim to discuss the classes they organized, the impact of these classes on the pupils as well as behavioral changes noticed during the peace studies. The majority of participants confirmed, that the topic is indeed very up-to-date and extremely important for the pupils. All the teachers greatly valued and appreciated the methodical handbook and posters. They mentioned, that the classes have had positive impact on pupils’ behavior, they have started to ponder and discuss their moves and have learned to listen and understand others. Teachers think that continuous studies is required in order to mark success. They confirmed that they will continue to carry out the classes during the new academic year; “Most importantly, the classes are educative and our goal has been to make it pupils’ own. We will put the classes on a more firm fundament starting from September, will carry out the classes in more organized manner and I am confident that it will certainly give its positive fruits” said the deputy headmaster of Gandzasar village school. Head of NIE Lori province’s regional agency Gnel Tigranyan mentioned; “I have personally participated in a few classes and am very impressed. I honestly wish, that all subjects in schools would be carried out in this way, because I saw the children’s excitement and posters, handmade materials and performances, which make the classes more interesting. It would be great, if all schools of Armenia will be involved in this project, because the need is indeed real and the results are tangible.” The teachers who have organized and carried out peace classes received appreciation letters from the NGO WFD. The peace education in other provinces of Armenia will be continued as scheduled, starting from next academic year.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the impact of Peace Education project in Shirak, Lori, Kotayk, Tavush and Aragatsotn marzes

Attachment 18

Starting from March 2012 a series of trainings on the topic “New approaches and practical opportunities for community sustainable development” are being conducted in 8 beneficiary communities on the initiative of the NGO “Women for Development”. The trainings were organized in the frames of the project “Community mobilization through increasing participation, healthy lifestyle and peace education in Armenia” with the goal to raise the communities’ mobilization around the most interesting and up-to-date for the rural population issue. The trainings are held by an experienced specialist, ecologist Gevorg Petrosyan who is the coordinator of Gyumri “Orhus” Center.

These trainings also have the goal to help the farmers to run their household without many expenses by raising the fertility of the soil and to get ecologically clean products. During the meetings G. Petrosyan passed practical advice on the harvest cultivation to the participants, correct use of fertilizers and chemical weed-killers, getting rid of different cultures’ diseases, implementation of new agricultural methods and technologies, rising and cultivation of new cultures in the villages. Small movies and recordings were shown to the participants on all the topics involved in the seminars.

All the conducted seminars were followed by hot discussions and disputes. The participants of the training had different response to the topics under discussion: some preferred to remain true to the traditional way of running the household, others expressed initiative to use the new methods proposed by the specialist.

Attachment 19\A n An article about the open lesson on the topic “Influence of Peace and Armed Conflicts on the development of the child” held in Vanadzor School # 11 was published in one of the local newspapers.

Attachment 20

On February 14 one of the most popular Armenian holidays – Tiarnyndaraj- was celebrated in the village of Bayandur on the initiative of Bayandur Community Center officers. The participant children presented the idea of the day: where it comes from, how the holiday was celebrated in the past, what the jumping over the fire symbolizes, etc. They also spoke about the traditions and customs connected with the celebration of St. Sargis day. Then the children made the fire – the symbol of the day, and the celebration went on around it. The melody of the traditional musical instrument – parkapzuk – cheered the participants and created joyful atmosphere and a good mood. At the end of the event the Community Center officers treated the children to the traditional holiday food. Attachment 21

Starting from July 2011 a project “Restoral of Forgotten Traditions” has started in Goghovit Community Center by the efforts of the Community Center Officer, volunteers and activists. In the frames of the project the national holiday Vardavar is already restored and celebrated. The holiday had not been celebrated for already 50 years for objective reasons. On February 24 an event devoted to St. Sargis was organized in the Culture Center on the initiative of the Community Center Officer and volunteers. During the event the traditions of old Armenian wedding and holding St. Sargis celebration were presented. The young people of Goghovit presented to the audience preparations for weddings in the past, the old traditions that are no longer kept, for example, cooking the traditional gata (Armenian cake), singing the praises of the bride, the bride’s dance at the wedding, etc. As the organizers of the event mentioned, the goal of the event was to mobilize the community through such events and to restore the forgotten traditions thus keeping Armenian culture and the local colour typical for each community. In the same community work is being done to restore celebrations of all Armenian holidays, based on the memories of elderly people, to gather the traditions, songs, etc and publish them in a separate booklet.

Attachment 22

WFD NGO members’ participated in the training course of EU projects monitoring and had an opportunity to apply the gained knowledge in practice. The training course was conducted in frames of the ENPI Policy Implementation in Armenia project implemented by WCC Armenia Inter Church Charitable Round Table Foundation.