Armenia’s Shirak Province Launches Youth‑Led Digital Resilience Lab to Combat Online Harm

In the northeastern province of Shirak, Armenia, a new initiative called the Shirak Digital Resilience Lab has begun training 60 young people from the border towns of Akhurik, Voskehask and Haykavan. The program, part of the Digital Spark grant under the Regional Support Mechanism EECA, uses interactive workshops to teach digital literacy, online rights, ethical technology use and how to spot harmful online behavior. Special attention is given to young women, who are often targeted by covert digital abuse. Participants create short visual stories and reels that translate complex concepts into relatable content, giving them a language to discuss issues that normally remain hidden in private chats and locked phone screens. The lab aims to shift digital violence from a silent, underground economy into a publicly recognized social problem that can be addressed through education and community support.