On February 7–8, a two-day workshop was held for Local Self-Government (LSG) and Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives from the Talin and Armavir communities. The workshop took place within the framework of the “Budget4Change: Promoting Gender Equality and Inclusion” program.
The aim of the workshop was to strengthen the capacities of local government representatives in the areas of gender equality and gender-responsive budgeting, enabling a fair and inclusive distribution of community budgets that reflects the needs and interests of all community members, including women, girls, and national minorities.
The workshop opened with a welcoming address by Margarita Hakobyan, Director of the OxYGen Foundation. She presented the upcoming program activities and emphasized the importance of gender-responsive budgeting for sustainable and inclusive community development.
The event was also attended by Ashot Giloyan, Head of the Local Self-Government Policy Department, who highlighted the importance of integrating a gender-sensitive approach into community budgeting processes.
“Everything starts with communities. You should plan your actions in a way that benefits all residents and ensures that everyone feels included. Local authorities must provide services within their mandate, and the broader, higher-quality, and more inclusive these services are, the better life will be for everyone. This approach also prevents residents from seeking services in other communities,” said Ashot Giloyan, addressing the LSG representatives.
On the first day, LSG and CSO representatives from Armavir and Talin discussed the goals of the workshop and mapped their expectations with the support of a gender expert. Participants were introduced to community development processes and the principles of gender-sensitive budgeting. The theoretical sessions were followed by group work, during which participants developed and presented gender-sensitive initiatives proposed for the 2026 community budgets.
The second day began with continued group work, focusing on the practical aspects of implementing gender-sensitive initiatives within the 2026 community budgets. The discussions were dynamic and multifaceted, allowing participants to exchange perspectives and experiences.
The workshop concluded with a summary of key discussions and the formulation of core messages, followed by final reflections and questions from participants.
This project is funded by UK International Development from the UK government.
