On 6-7 May 2017, UNFPA Armenia and Y-peer Armenia Network organized a two-day training on “Leadership, Advocacy and Project Development” for around twenty young people from high schools, colleges, and leading universities of Armenia. The young people had already participated in two awareness raising sessions for young people on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) held in April 2017. 

 

The aim of the training was to provide the young people necessary knowledge and skills to develop and advocate their project ideas on youth participation in promoting and contributing to achievement of SDGs in Armenia. Y-peer Armenia focal point Ilona Demirtshyan and Y-peer Armenia focal point in charge Sargis Ghazaryan conducted the training using peer-to-peer methodology. As an example of advocacy success story, UNFPA Armenia shared with the participants the story of advocacy campaign to combat sex-selective abortions in Armenia. 

As a result of the training the young people came up with four project ideas tackling cultural education in near-border villages, discrimination among schoolchildren, sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people, and career orientation in high schools in the regions of Armenia. Toghether with the project proposals, the participants also produced and presented short creative videos to promote their project ideas.