"It' Your Choice" (IYC) is an Armenian NGO, which defends human rights and develops civil society by promoting free and fair elections and encouraging citizen participation in elections and governance.IYC monitored Parliamentary bi-election due to vacancies in 1997, Parliamentary elections in 1999, 2003, Elections of Local Self Governing Bodies in 1999 and 2002, and Presidential Elections in 2003. Since 1997 IYC has conducted town hall meetings in city and village communities between the elected official and community members. With the help of these meetings the community head learns to become accountable to public and make the community budget transparent. In turn, the community members realize the importance of their role in community management and decision making. Those people who are active and more demanding during the town hall meetings form a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC ). CAC members act as middle-men for bilateral cooperation and information exchange between the elected official and citizens. IYC conducts public hearings to help the communities to find solutions to the priority problems identified at the town hall meetings. Public hearings help community members to identify small and doable projects that could be solved through common efforts. Through public hearings IYC introduces ideas of community activism including fundraising. IYC organizes mock elections for secondary school students teaching them the basics of the Electoral Code. The goal of mock elections is to educate the future electorate of Armenia. IYC is active in legislative reform processes and participates in the National Assembly discussions and sessions on legislative reforms. The implemented projects are illustrated in a free newsletter “It's your choice”.
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