“Being a People Powered member gives me confidence that I am not alone” — Meri Harutyunyan
/This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight our member Meri Harutyunyan, Deputy Head of the Urban Development Investment Programs Implementation Unit, in Yerevan, Armenia.
Meri is working on transforming her city through the Yerevan Green Transition plan to address pollution, road congestion, and a lack of green spaces with participation from the public. This action plan was created when she joined People Powered’s Climate Democracy Accelerator in partnership with the NGO EcoLur. Learn more about her work below!
1. How did you get involved in participatory democracy?
It all started in 2022 when Yerevan joined the Open Government Partnership initiative. From that period, we began to find different ways to apply behavioral tools to expand the approaches to the implementation of public discussions and to use alternative formats, thanks to which the degree of participation of citizens in the decision-making process would increase.
Within the framework of the local open governance partnership, we developed a one-year action plan and documented our commitment to promoting participation.
2. Why did you get involved in participatory democracy?
The main reason for getting involved in participatory democracy was a strong commitment and determination to establish a stable and effective dialogue mechanism between the community and civil society in my beloved city and in the city's management system.
3. What is your current position?
I am the deputy head of the Yerevan Urban Development Investment Programs Implementation Unit CNCO.
4. What are the key projects or initiatives you are currently working on?
My activity has several directions: the development of strategic plans for sustainable urban development, project management, environmental education, and the initiation and organization of activities aimed at raising public awareness of climate change, renewable energy, and the importance of public participation.
I coordinate and manage the implementation of numerous programs aimed at the sustainable development of the city, restoration of the urban ecosystem, increasing the transparency of public governance, and active cooperation with civil society.
Now, the main focus is Yerevan's energy efficiency program, within which, in the coming years, about 80 community kindergartens and health centers will be completely seismically retrofitted, overhauled, reconstructed, and modernized with energy-efficient solutions.
5. What challenges have you faced in your work on participatory democracy? How have you addressed or overcome these challenges?
Many obstacles existed in introducing sustainable mechanisms for promoting participatory democracy. It was especially difficult to organize effective discussions between civil society and the community, increase citizens' interest in and participation in public discussions, encourage citizens to participate in the decision-making process of public importance, and voice their opinions and approaches. These difficulties have several reasons, including a lack of interest in political processes and post-war challenges.
But like any matter, this one also required patience and a well-designed plan. Our team's result-oriented actions and energetic work brought the desired result. If we compare the degree of citizen participation with the situation ten years ago and the current situation, we can state that participation in public discussions has increased by up to 70 percent.
6. How is being a member of People Powered helpful for your work?
First of all, being a member of People Powered gives me confidence that I am not alone and that I am very close to like-minded people and professionals in different corners of the world. This membership is also an opportunity for me to exchange experiences and study the experiences of other professionals.
7. What are your priorities for the coming years, related to participatory democracy? How do you hope to collaborate with People Powered and its members to advance these priorities?
We are already on the way to realizing our priorities. Last year, we were selected to be part of the cohort of the People Powered Climate Democracy Accelerator. We developed a climate action plan with civil society partners, worked with our mentors for six months, and learned from other cohort members.
We are proud to announce that we have already started implementing the action plan developed in the Accelerator.
The first round-table discussion was held within the "Civil Society Becomes an Active Participant in the Green Transition of Yerevan" project, implemented by EcoLur, an Informational NGO in partnership with Yerevan Municipality and supported by People Powered.
I am confident that joining People Powered will only increase my opportunities to implement new and effective initiatives to contribute to the institutionalization of participatory democracy.
We hope that Meri’s journey has inspired you to join us as a People Powered member! Learn more about membership and our members’ work below.
