End of Commitment Report – Installation of an Interactive Screen of the Community Development Program in Vanadzor and Gyumri.

Name of Evaluator

Arpine Hakobyan (“NGO Center” civil society development NGO)

Email

[email protected]; [email protected]

Member Name

Vanadzor, Armenia

Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Title

Action plan – Vanadzor, Armenia, 2021 – 2026

CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action...

Installation of an Interactive Screen of the Community Development Program in Vanadzor and Gyumri.

Title

Installation of an Interactive Screen of the Community Development Program in Vanadzor and Gyumri.

Action

The installation of Interactive Screens in crowded places of Vanadzor and Gyumri will give an opportunity to see with an interactive method what is envisaged by the community development program for the given year. The contents of the interactive screen will be updated periodically and already performed, modified processes/tasks will be marked in a different color.Planned to include Interactive Budget information as well.

Problem

The access and support of the community development program, installation of an interactive screen in crowded places of Vanadzor and Gyumri.

1.1 What was the overall level of progress in the commitment implementation at the time of this assessment?

Limited

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

Some preparatory actions were taken: with GIZ support, eight bus stops were constructed in Gyumri and Vanadzor, and eight interactive screens were purchased. However, the screens were not installed due to security concerns. Only one screen was installed under another program, which was damaged within a few days. Current plans involve building protective layers to ensure safety before installation. Discussions also suggest placing screens in secure public spaces such as libraries. Overall, the commitment has been partially prepared but not fully implemented.

Evidences:

• Focus group discussion Vanadzor (2025)
• Interview with the Vanadzor Acting Mayor’s advisor
• GIZ project

Provide evidence that supports and justifies your answer:

Screenshot 2025-10-02 at 22.44.38.png
Focus Group Vanadzor Participan list5.pdf

1.2 Describe the main external or internal factors that impacted implementation of this commitment and how they were addressed (or not).

Implementation was hindered by both internal and external factors:

• Political instability: After the 2021 local government electionsImproving transparency in elections and maintaining the independence of electoral commissions is vital for promoting trust in the electoral system, preventing electoral fraud, and upholding the democr... More, Vanadzor did not have an elected mayor, as he was unable to assume his responsibilities under the threat of arrest. Legislative regulations were needed to appoint an acting mayor, and an acting mayor was appointed in 2022. At the same time, the council of elders’ meetings were not held as planned due to the lack of a quorum (the elders were boycotting). All this had a significant impact on the timely implementation of the commitment.
• Security concerns: One screen installed under a different program was quickly damaged, raising concerns about installing other screens in public spaces without safety measures.
• Financial and management challenges: Although the screens were purchased, the municipal budget did not allocate additional funds for installation or maintenance.

Together, these factors resulted in the commitment remaining incomplete and the planned public engagement objectives unfulfilled.

1.3 Was the commitment implemented as originally planned?

Few of the commitment milestones were implemented as planned

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The original plan foresaw a structured process: designing the interactive screens, defining the scope and update frequency of information, producing a video on community development prospects, determining screen locations, securing permits, and completing procurement and installation by August 2022. The intended purpose was to make development programs and interactive budget data accessible in crowded public areas of Vanadzor.

In practice, only partial preparatory steps were achieved. Bus stops were constructed with GIZ funding, and eight interactive screens were procured. However, critical milestones such as installation, integration of interactive content, and regular updates were not completed. Security concerns, political instability, and lack of continuity in municipal leadership prevented the full realization of the commitment, and the project did not deliver its planned function of providing citizens with transparent, interactive access to municipal development and budget information

Provide evidence for your answer:

Interview with the Head of the Programs Department of the Vanadzor Municipality.png
Focus Group Vanadzor Participant List6.pdf

2.1.1. – Did the government disclose more information; improve the quality of the information (new or existing); improve the value of the information; improve the channels to disclose or request information or improve accessibility to information?

No

Degree of result:

Did not change

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

Since the screens were not installed, no new channels were created to provide information to the public. Existing gaps in public access to information about community development programs remain unaddressed.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Meeting group
Focus Group Vanadzor Participant List7.pdf

2.1.2. – Did the government create new opportunities to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation inform or influence decisions; improve existing channels or spaces to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation/ inform or influence decisions; create or improve capabilities in the government or the public aimed to improve how the government seeks feedback from citizens/enables participation/ or allows for the public to inform or influence decisions?

No

Degree of result:

Did not change

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

No new mechanisms were created for citizen feedback or participation. Discussions with 12 CSOs and one municipal staff member confirmed that public engagement platforms related to this commitment were not established.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Meeting group
Focus Group Vanadzor Participant List8.pdf

2.1.3 Did the government create or improve channels, opportunities or capabilities to hold officials answerable to their actions?

No

Degree of result:

Did not change

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

Because the commitment was not implemented, no new accountability mechanisms or tools were created. Citizens and CSOs did not gain the ability to monitor municipal resource use through these screens.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Meeting group
Focus Group Vanadzor Participant List9.pdf

2.1.4 Other Results

Not Applicable

2.2 Did the commitment address the public policy problem that it intended to address as described in the action plan?

No

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The commitment aimed to increase transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More and public awareness of community development programs. Since the interactive screens were not installed, the intended public policy problem of limited citizen access to municipal program information was not addressed.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Focus Group Vanadzor Participantv List10.pdf

3. Provide at least one lesson or reflection relating to the implementation of this commitment. It can be the identification of key barriers to implementation, an unexpected help/hindrance, recommendations for future commitments, or if the commitment should be taken forward to the next action plan.

The Vanadzor example shows that commitments dependent on physical infrastructure require political stability, institutional continuity, and clear security solutions. Preparatory steps alone are insufficient; full implementation depends on overcoming both administrative and technical barriers. Future commitments should include explicit risk mitigation measures, ensure proper handover in case of leadership changes, and consider safer public locations (e.g., libraries) to guarantee citizen access. Additionally, planning should include dedicated budgets for installation, maintenance, and protection to prevent project failure.