Stakeholders' Committee

Structure

On 27 September 2008, Mr. Karen Zadoyan was elected member of MCA-Armenia Stakeholders Committee and represents the interests of beneficiary communities.

In 1991-1996 Karen Zadoyan studied and graduated from the faculty of law of Yerevan State University.
In 1995, he attended the two months training course on NGO Management organized by the NGO Training and Resource Center of the Armenian Assembly of America.
In 1996, he participated in the two months Advanced Training Course of the AAA NGO Training and Resource Center.
In 2003 participated in a one week training course "Strengthening of the Non-Governmental Organizations" organized by the US "World Learning" NGO strengthening program.
In 1996 - 2008 he participated in seminars, trainings and conferences on NGO Management, and/or vocational trainings of lawyers in Armenia as well as in the foreign countries: the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
He is a member of the Chamber of Advocates of the RA; co-founder and Chair of Board of Trustees of the Law Foundation of Armenia; Managing Partner of "LEGAL ALLIANCE" Law Firm; member of the European Young Bar Association.
In 2001, Mr. Zadoyan was awarded letter of commendation of the Republic of Armenia Prime Minister for his work and contribution in the sphere of public and youth affairs.
In 2007 he was awarded letter of gratitude of the Republic of Armenia Minister of Youth and Sport Affairs
He enjoys reading, listening to the music, and playing football with friends in leisure time. In addition, he likes traveling with his family and spending time with his children and educating them.

In 1995, Karen Zadoyan with a group of like-minded friends created the Armenian Young lawyers Association, which was registered as a non-governmental organization in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia on March 14, 1995.

The mission of Armenian Young Lawyers Association is to develop a new generation of highly professional lawyers, having a modern outlook and moral values, as well as to promote the establishment of rule of law, and formation of the legal culture in the society. The values of the organization are:

- Modern legal culture based upon the heritage of centuries old Armenian values.
- Legally educated society, which is aware of its rights.
- Protect human rights.
- Highly professional lawyers and advocates, possessing a new and modern methodology.
- Powerful and a strong civil society.

In the nearest future the Armenian Young Lawyers Association will become one of the most influential, well-known, powerful and useful organizations in the legal field of Armenia.

The main goal of the Association is to combine the efforts and workforce of the organization's members and supporters in directing them towards supporting the empowerment and strengthening of the Republic of Armenia to be a sovereign, democratic, social and lawful country. The objectives of the Association are to enhance the:

- advancement of the legal mindset and culture level of population through public awareness programs on laws and legal/judicial knowledge,
- human rights protection, the management and provision of necessary legal support to the physical and juridical persons,
- implementation of state court and law-related improvements/reforms and ensuring transparency,
- establishment of the civil society, implementation of participatory processes, as well as implementation and development of public monitoring.

Currently the Association works in the following key programmatic directions:

a) Realizes anticorruption activities in the RA marzes. Promotes the awareness of judicial knowledge and the protection of human rights for the population of the Republic of Armenia. It provides free legal services to vulnerable populations. The population of the RA, especially the vulnerable sections of the population, receives free legal services. They include the provision of oral and written legal consultations in AYLA offices, telephone consultations, and site visits, appropriate applications, complaints, and other necessary documents. In addition, they include legal marketing activities and distribution of informational documents, TV and radio programs, seminars, and meetings, as well as the implementation of legal representations in the courts.
b) The organization manages training sessions, seminars, as well as legal trainings and equips legal training and resource centers with contemporary legal resources/tools for the young lawyers and law students, aimed at raising the level of their professional knowledge.
c) It promotes the implementation of the improvement of the Republic of Armenia's judiciary system as well as the development of the advocatory systems for the transparency of court operations through socializing these systems. It also promotes the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
d) Assists in realization of the reforms of the RA legislation in particular in the spheres of Advocacy, Judiciary System, Mass Media, NGO sector, Alternative Military Service, Gender Equality, through carrying out surveys of the legislative field, fulfillment of suggestions, discussions, organization and participation in media events, lobbying of draft laws and amendments to the laws.

The Association has a network of six operational offices in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Gavar, Ijevan, and Kapan.
AYLA implements an external independent annual financial resource audit, which is published in AYLA's Annual Report, as well as is placed at AYLA's website and is accessible to everyone.
AYLA publishes an annual operational report both in Armenian and in English, which is being distributed to the RA governmental and local self-government bodies/agencies, international and local organizations, AYLA's partners, and beneficiaries. It is also being placed at AYLA's website and is accessible to everyone.
AYLA has a comprehensive official www.ayla.am website containing extensive information about its activities.