“Environmental Public Advocacy Center” (EPAC) NGO implements the Programme “Capacity building for NGOs for effective participation in environmental decision-making through elaboaration of relevant policy tools and awareness-raising” within the framework of the Programme “Strengthening Environmental Governance by Building the Capacity of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)”, funded by the European Union, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and delivered by the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP).The partners of the Pragramme implemented by EPAC NGO are the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA, the Ministry of Justice of RA and the Environmental Law Resource Center of the YSU Faculty of Law.The Programme is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of public participation in the process of elaboration of draft legal acts related to environment through elaboration of relevant tools to raise public awareness, improve transparency in this sphere and support constructive dialogue with public authority. The main goal of the Programme is in line with fulfillment of obligations by Armenia deriving from the Aarhus Convention and intended to promote democratic principles and rule of law.Within the 1st stage of the Programme the Guide to Public Participation in the Process of Elaboration of Draft Legal Acts related to Environment has been elaborated and published. Regional presentations of the Guide and respective trainings have been conducted in all marzes of Armenia (merely at the Aarhus Centers).The final presentation of the Guide took place on 21st May, 2015 at Environmental Law Research Center, YSU. At the event planned activities for subsequent stages as well as the key approaches set behind were presented. The introduction of the summarized results of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the evaluation survey conducted among the participants of regional trainings finalized the event.
