Civic Activism as a Novel Component of Armenian Civil Society

Currently, a search for news on the initiative does not reveal much, which might be explained by
the decrease in the initiative’s activities. One of the last protests of the initiative took place in
March 2014 and received substantial media coverage. Moreover, in May 2014, the initiative
organised a “march of demand”. However the Dem Em initiative remains active, as its
representatives believe that the new pension system needs numerous reviews and corrections.
Dem Em has participated in various other civic initiatives, including Electric Yerevan, having
the goal of creating a more prosperous Armenia without having any political aims. This civic
initiative is considered a partial success thus far.
• Leaders
According to the official website of the initiative, there are no leaders; decisions were made
through consensus within online forums. The coordinating team consisted of 25-35 people, with
the core 25 people constantly involved in the initiative. The coordinating team comprised
primarily of accountants, lawyers and IT specialists. Dem Em has often been characterised as the
most organised group, with decision-making rules and structures. Yet, it has also been criticised
for being “closed” by some activists, who said they wanted to get involved but were not admitted
into the inner circle of decision-making.
• Gender Dimension
Gender was not an explicit issue in this initiative. However, as mentioned above, IT sector
specialists and other upper-middle class employees constituted the core of the initiative. These
people are predominantly male; however some women were actively involved. The albums on
the official Facebook page (including coverage of marches and protests) and general media
coverage capture participation by both male and female activists.
• Internet and Social Media
The initiative had its own website (www.dem.am) created specifically for the purpose of
spreading the information about the campaign. The website became inaccessible in May 2016
but was functional throughout April.
The initiative used social networks for informal forums among the activists and
disseminated information on planned activities. The initiative has both a Facebook group and a
Facebook page. The group had 50,407 members as of February 2016. 29 The group contains
informative and motivational posts and articles and serves as a platform for discussion for the
members of the initiative. There are also some posts on other civic initiatives, such as Afrikyan
and Electric Yerevan. The page had 20,147 followers as of February 2016 and some posts over
the preceding six months. Another Facebook page named “Dem Em Alaverdi” (656 followers) is
an indication that the initiative was able to spread beyond the Capital (Alaverdi is a small town
29 Available at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/659878787373449/
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