Our Mission

  • To save lives, protect dignity, and build systems that ensure justice, freedom, and opportunity across borders.

  • We deliver life-saving humanitarian aid where it’s needed most — while advancing cross-border cooperation, economic diplomacy, and gender-responsive governance. Rooted in Armenia, we work locally and regionally to ensure that borders are not barriers, but bridges between protection and progress.

Our Vision

 

  • We do not compromise security, dignity, or opportunity — but connect trusted partners through systems built on safety, sovereignty, and shared progress.

  • We are for secure border governance and values-driven cooperation — bridging Europe and Asia through selective, high-standard trade, inclusive diplomacy, and empowered civil society.

  • This is the future Open Borders builds:
    Where protection is immediate, systems are just, and transformation flows across secure, well-regulated trade channels and trusted border systems.

Open Borders Institute is governed by a diverse and experienced Board of Trustees, composed of national and international leaders in diplomacy, business, technology, public administration, and civil society.

We are proudly independent and Armenian-led, committed to regional partnership and international standards of accountability.

 

Our leadership team blends grassroots experience with global perspective — ensuring that every program we deliver is grounded, strategic, and built to last.

Founded in 2016, Open Borders Institute began as a bold vision: to transform borders from lines of division into spaces of protection, opportunity, and cooperation.

We started with democracy-building and women’s rights work across Armenia and the region. Over time, our mission expanded to life-saving humanitarian response, justice system reform, and cross-border economic integration.

We became known for our ability to deliver in crisis, lead complex cooperation initiatives, and bring governments, civil society, and the private sector to the same table.

Today, we are building a future where Armenia is a trusted regional hub for:

  • Humanitarian protection and GBV response

  • Cross-border economic diplomacy

  • Secure and smart border systems

  • Regional trade facilitation and EU standard adoption

And through all this, we remain grounded in our roots: feminist, rights-based, and people-focused.

 

We don’t just respond. We reimagine. We don’t just protect. We empower.

Transparency and accountability are at the heart of our work.

  • All major projects are externally audited or have been vetted (by EU, embassies, and independent reviewers)

  • Regular reporting to donors and partners

  • Financial and programmatic oversight by our Board of Trustees

Impact Snapshot:

 

  • 360 GBV survivors supported with comprehensive aid

  • 600+ displaced families received humanitarian assistance

  • 1000 CSOs in Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Romania as recipients of the project developing digital working toolkit 

  • 55,000 citizens served through our in-house developed and managed digital governance platform, enhancing civic access and public service accountability

  • 120 schools as beneficiaries of the project “Edu-logic” tailored for their needs

  • 5 Academies for Gender Justice delivered (police, prosecutors, judges, CSOs, media) with 230 participants

  • Operational in Armenia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Romania

  • Strategic partners: Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, EU, UN HQ Vienna, OSCE, Council of Europe

Eleonora Begoyan

Co-founder & President – Expert in peace and security, public finance, and women’s empowerment with cross-sector leadership in nonprofit and entrepreneurial ventures.

Sos
Sargsyan

Co-founder & Trustee – Finance and governance expert with deep experience across nonprofit, commercial, and public sectors.

Lusine Zakalashvili

Multilingual communications specialist and women's empowerment advocate with expertise in translation, education, and gender-focused program design

Lusine Bagasyan-Tonoyan

Trustee – Senior program management expert in tech innovation, business process automation, and strategic operations at Synopsys

Astghik Hayrapetyan

Trustee – Government affairs expert with deep experience in EU program coordination, international cooperation, and strategic reform planning

Ashot Begoyan

Trustee – Entrepreneur and philanthropist with 13+ years of international business experience and a passion for youth mentorship and purpose-driven leadership

Mohamad Akbari

Trustee – Cloud transformation leader and digital strategist with international experience in enterprise innovation and technology governance

Gohar Hayrapetyan

Trustee – Respected journalist and political commentator with 25 years of media experience across radio, print, television, and digital platforms

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At the heart of Open Borders is a commitment to urgent, life-saving action.
We provide direct humanitarian aid to women and girls affected by war, displacement, and gender-based violence. Our response includes legal support, psychosocial care, medical assistance, and safe shelter referrals — with a strong local network and survivor-centered approach.

  • Over 360 women supported with direct aid
  • Humanitarian response to Nagorno-Karabakh displacement
  • Active case management & crisis intervention teams

The Academy for Gender Justice is our flagship training program — equipping police, prosecutors, media, judges, and CSOs with the tools to respond to and prevent GBV, uphold rights, and promote survivor-centered justice systems.
Delivered in partnership with national and international actors, the Academy is now expanding into Central Asia and the Gulf region.

 

  • 5 academies delivered, reaching 230+ professionals
  • Tailored curricula by profession and country
  • Scalable model grounded in international human rights

INFORMA is a civic technology solution developed and maintained by Open Borders Institute — designed to strengthen local democracy, public transparency, and citizen empowerment in Armenia.
This user-friendly mobile platform helps residents access legal resources, city services, and budget information — while offering direct channels to report issues like GBV, corruption, or local governance failures.

INFORMA is currently active in Gavar, serving over 55,000 citizens in Armenian language. It is available for download on both Google Play and Apple’s App Store, and is built to scale across other municipalities.

  • Digital access to legal aid and public service directories
  • Anonymous reporting for GBV, corruption, and community concerns
  • Local tax payments and public budget transparency
  • Complaint submission to municipal authorities
  • Full compliance with data security and user privacy standards

This platform is part of our broader commitment to digital governance and inclusive civic participation — ensuring marginalized voices are heard and rights are respected.

At Open Borders, women and girls are not just beneficiaries — they are agents of change. From crisis response to long-term transformation, we place women’s safety, leadership, and opportunity at the heart of everything we do.

Our programs begin with protection — offering survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) legal aid, psychosocial support, and access to justice. But they go further: we equip women and girls with the tools, training, and platforms they need to rebuild their lives and lead their communities.

Through our economic education initiatives, we deliver targeted, high-demand training in fields like:

  • Accounting & financial literacy
  • Social media marketing (SMM)
  • English language for business
  • Fashion design, pattern making, tailoring
  • Branding and marketing
  • Online sales

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We also offer mentorships, internships, entrepreneurship support, and seed grants — helping women launch small businesses, pursue careers, or return to education.
From schools and city partnerships to national essay competitions and 16 Days of Activism campaigns, we foster a cu

We also offer mentorships, internships, entrepreneurship support, and seed grants — helping women launch small businesses, pursue careers, or return to education.

From schools and city partnerships to national essay competitions and 16 Days of Activism campaigns, we foster a culture where girls are empowered to dream — and supported to succeed.

  • GBV prevention, legal aid, and recovery pathways
  • Economic empowerment through skills-based training
  • Leadership programs and mentorship for young women
  • Advocacy for rights-based policies and protection systems
  • Community outreach in schools, municipalities, and civic spaces

We believe in borders as bridges — and Armenia as a strategic hub between the EU and Asia.
Open Borders works to align regional economies with EU standards, promote inclusive trade, and connect businesses through regional forums, matchmaking, and capacity-building.

  • SME readiness programs
  • Trade standard advisory for Armenian businesses
  • Research and publications on EU-Armenia-Asia opportunities

Security and openness are not contradictory. Open Borders champions smart, secure, and human-centered border systems that ensure protection while facilitating trade and mobility.
We offer policy expertise, training, and advocacy to help governments adopt high-standard systems that align with EU and regional frameworks.

  • Expertise on EU-aligned border management and smart passage
  • Regional cooperation and policy dialogues
  • Focus on sovereignty, safety, and human dignity
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