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26 May 2022
The European Union and WHO donated digital X-ray equipment to Goris Medical Center
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Press Release
25 May 2022
Over-consumption in the world’s richest countries is destroying children’s environments globally, new report says
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Story
24 May 2022
UNHCR appreciates the support from the European Union (EU) to conflict-affected families in Armenia
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Armenia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Armenia:
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10 May 2022
Feed for livestock and poultry ensures food for children and families
Life in the rural areas of Armenia has perks but has never been easy. Around one-third of villagers live below the poverty line. This situation has been further exacerbated by COVID-19, which has imposed greater financial challenges by restricting the opportunities for trade and seasonal work abroad. At the same time, the significant price increase among everyday goods has made life even more challenging for rural families in Armenia to make ends meet.
The issue is not only the price of food for human consumption. The soaring prices of animal feedstuff has made it hardly possible to keep their livestock and poultry – important sources of meat, dairy products, and eggs for many families.
“There was no way I would be able to provide enough feed to my chickens this winter, should there not be the feed support from FAO,” said Karen Vardanyan, farmer and father of two. Without such support, he would have to decrease his number of hens.
“Thanks to the 450 kilograms of combined feed received, I could keep the poultry, and both the quantity and the quality of eggs have significantly increased, helping us to continue to take care of our family,” Karen added happily. Furthermore, through the income that Karen expects to get from selling eggs, he is planning to improve the hencoop to further increase the number of the hens they keep.
Karen is among the 67 vulnerable families from Lori, northern Armenia, who benefited from the FAO initiative under the European Union’s LEAD programme. They received high-quality fodder and combined feed for livestock and poultry. Earlier, these families were provided with pregnant heifers or chicken as part of a Russian-funded project, yet the fodder distribution was of vital importance now to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Poultry feed support ensures nutritious food and revenue
Karen’s children, Vache and Nane, love running to the coop several times a day and bringing fresh eggs from the hens. Eggs not only ensures nutritious food for these children and their family, but is also a source of additional income.
Years ago, FAO provided hens and poultry feed to the Vardanyan family and since then they have worked hard to increase the number of the hens so that they can continue benefitting from the eggs and chicken meat.
“Scrambled eggs and poultry meat are my children’s favourite dishes,” Karen added. “Not only we get nutritious food, but also sell them to buy things necessary for our family. We even managed to exchange eggs with young fruit trees that will provide us with apples, pears, and cherries this year.”
Caring is contagious
“FAO’s support arrived just in time for us,” Mkhitar Gevorgyan said. “Providing quality feed to our cow will boost milk production benefiting not only my family, but also the baby calf.”
Just like many other families in Pushkino village, this family too has no regular source of income and relies on the scarce financial means that they get from keeping livestock. Mkhitar – a father of six – engages in paid haying works in summers only, and for the rest of the year he struggles to get along.
Last winter, as the prices of feed for livestock headed north, the situation became impossible for Mkhitar to buy fodder. Luckily, FAO’s support arrived then, consisting of 2 400 kg fodder and 720 kg combined feed that allowed the family to keep their cows alive.
Mkhitar’s four-year-old son Vardan and his older siblings were very excited about the birth of Sheko (meaning “blond” in Armenian) – a cute calf delivered by the cow that FAO previously provided to their family. They cherish the baby calf and take care of him, believing that she will help them take care of the family needs as she grows up.
Mkhitar’s family makes yogurt and cheese from cow milk that they mainly use to improve the nutrition of their children. Now he is planning to increase the number of the cows to increase the family income.
“I hope at some point I will be well off and will be able to help others in need, just like FAO helped me,” Mkhitar added.
The feed support initiative in a nutshell
The feed distribution initiative is part of the Local Empowerment of Actors for Development (LEAD) Programme supported by the European Union and implemented by FAO and the United Nations Development Programme, in close partnership with Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and Ministry of Economy. The programme helps those living in the Lori and Tavush regions of Armenia play active roles in inclusive, resilient, and sustainable local development. This four-year programme focuses on adapting and implementing the European Union’s LEADER methodology in the Lori and Tavush regions of Armenia and supports community-driven local and rural development initiatives carried out through partnerships uniting local authorities, civil society, and the private sector.
The 67 families that received livestock and poultry feed support previously benefitted from FAO’s Cash+ pilot initiative as part of “Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia” project funded by the Russian Federation. The project aimed to pilot innovative approaches that complemented the state-funded social protection programme․
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04 May 2022
WHO Regional Director for Europe and Minister of Health of Armenia sign two-year agreement to advance health for all, and promote vaccination and healthy lifestyles
Quality health care accessible to everyone, effective protection against health emergencies, healthy communities as contributors to an economy of well-being are core elements of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) signed today by Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia and Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe during his two-day visit to the country.
The BCA is a vital tool setting out collaboration priorities between WHO and the Government of Armenia for 2022-2023 that aim to support the Ministry of Health in achieving national health priorities, working closely with civil society, development partners and other key stakeholders.
The BCA prioritizes access to quality care for each and every citizen in Armenia regardless of their financial means, effective protection against health emergencies and building healthy communities, with public health policies and actions serving to secure a better life and well-being for the people of Armenia.
“The cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the WHO is crucial in many ways for being able to achieve the cornerstone health indicators our government is aiming for. I am happy to state that the Government Strategy for the years 2021-2026 includes the key areas of healthcare indicators that have to be achieved, which are also portrayed in the global agenda. With the last wave of COVID-19 pandemic slowly retreating into the background, we are thankfully able to again direct our efforts and resources to global health threats that still persist. Within the framework of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement for the years 2022-2023, we are aiming to devote large attention to areas that are of utmost importance to us such as Universal Health Coverage, health system strengthening, protection against health emergencies, promotion of healthy lifestyle and many more,” said Anahit Avanesyan, RA Minister of Health.
The BCA builds on the key achievements recorded within the long-lasting partnership between WHO and the Government of Armenia in tobacco control, emergency preparedness, response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health - to name a few.
It is in line with the international public health strategic goals and frameworks such as the WHO European Programme of Work and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
“This agreement signed today puts health higher on Armenia’s agenda, underlining its place as a universal human right and key development priority for a better economy, and for peace and security,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
“WHO has enjoyed a long and productive partnership with the Government of Armenia, and we will continue to work side-by-side to advance the national health agenda: strengthening the health system, moving towards universal health coverage, protecting people from health emergencies, and promoting health and wellbeing,” he added.
Visiting the country during European Immunization Week (EIW), the Regional Director also highlighted the live-saving importance of vaccines and vaccination as a building block for a functioning public health systems.
Dr Kluge underlined the importance of immunization as a public health measure and the many millions of lives it has saved and called for continued joint efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination to protect people, health systems, and health workers.
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20 April 2022
IOM promotes new work permit issuance system for foreigners in Armenia
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with the Migration Service of Armenia (MS) launched a new unified online platform, which is addressed to digitalize the whole process of granting work permit and residence status to foreigners in Armenia. The official launching event was held on 19 April 2022 in Yerevan.
IOM Armenia has been supporting the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Migration Service of Armenia in strengthening the labour migration system since 2018. As part of this partnership, a new work permit issuance system has been developed and implemented within the framework of the labour migration management reforms. The new platform is an integrated electronic management registration system, serving as a tool for issuance and extension of work permits and employment contracts with foreign workers in the Republic of Armenia.
At the same time, foreign citizens who are exempted from the requirement to obtain a work permit in the Republic of Armenia, can register on the platform in order to verify the legality of their residence and receive a relevant certificate.
“IOM’s objective is to support Armenia’s Labor Migration System by effective mechanisms for the issuance of work permits in line with best international practices. In this way, we aim to contribute to advancing human rights of migrants and sustainable economic development, for the benefit of all,” said Ilona Ter-Minasyan, IOM Armenia’s Head of Office.
The Migration Service has already received about 700 applications through the website https://workpermit.am/. About 250 employers are registered in the system and more than 260 temporary residence permits have been already granted. 170 permits certifying legality of residence for the foreigners exempted from the requirement to obtain a work permit have been issued.
The event was followed by a Q&A panel with employers asking questions and presenting suggestions.
For more information visit the website at www.workpermit.am.
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25 March 2022
IDEA APP Armenia closing ceremony
The IDEA App is a technical solution developed by Bridge for Billions in collaboration with and specifically customized to the needs of UNIDO. It deploys a unique technology to incubate and accelerate business opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and addresses the need to streamline online incubation services throughout all projects applying the IDEA approach.
In the framework of “Accelerating women’s empowerment for economic resilience and renewal: Post COVID-19 reboot in Armenia” UN joint project funded by Multi-Partner Trust Fund, UNIDO launched a four-month online program aimed to build the entrepreneurial capacity for startup women. Women entrepreneurs, with the support of mentors from different corners of the world, were able to materialize their business ideas by developing business plans to start a new business or to expand the existing one, thus ensuring self-employment and increasing their income opportunities.
In her welcoming remarks, Anahit Simonyan, UNIDO Country Representative, said, “We are very proud that UNIDO has a chance to support Armenian women entrepreneurship by linking local and diaspora capacity, skills and knowledge through its flagship incubation platform. We believe that IDEA programme designed to promote youth and women entrepreneurship and facilitate their integration into the formal economy through a modular and flexible approach will be effectively employed by interested parties. Furthermore, there is a great untapped diaspora potential that can be attracted to develop innovative solutions and new ideas through this platform.”
In total, thirty-two women entrepreneurs with the support of thirty-six mentors developed bankable business plans completing eight core modules from value proposition to impact and growth plan. UNIDO and Bridge for Billions representatives made welcoming remarks followed by a certificate awarding ceremony.
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11 March 2022
WFP celebrates International School Meals Day in Armenia
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Armenia celebrated School Meals Day with its partners, the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) and the School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency. The event at Abovyan school No 8 brought together school children of primary grades and their parents in Abovyan city of Kotayk province.
WFP has been implementing school feeding in Armenia since 2012, providing over 100,000 schoolchildren with hot, nutritious meals every day.
The event highlighted the activities of WFP’s school feeding programme in Armenia. Children and their parents participated in flash mobs and games designed to acquaint them with the harmful effects of an unhealthy diet and the importance of balanced, nutritious meals.
“Today, we celebrate our joint achievements of the School Meals Programme and raise awareness of nutritious school meals and their importance to our children’s health,” said the Headmaster of Abovyan school No 8 Lusine Baghdasaryan. “School meals have had a transformational role in children’s wellbeing and have already helped in improving their dietary habits. I would like to thank all supporters, including WFP, the Government, parents and our community who united their efforts and invested in our children's development.”
“School meals are critical for children’s wellbeing and improving learning abilities to reach their full potential; eventually enhancing their productivity as adults contributing to their country’s economic development,” said WFP Deputy Country Director and Officer-in-Charge Nanna Skau. “Thanks to the successful partnership with the Government of Armenia, School Meals has become a flagship programme ultimately contributing to food security of children across the country.”
Also, as part of celebrating International School Meals Day in Armenia, WFP and partners will invite all parents with their primary grades school children to participate in an online quest that will be followed by an award ceremony for the winners.
Abovyan No 8 school is among other 89 schools in Kotayk province that is part of WFP’s School Feeding Programme, which is expected to join the National School Feeding programme in December 2022. The management of the School Feeding Programme has been already gradually handed over to the government in eight provinces of Armenia making the programme more sustainable for the years to come. As a result of a successful nationalization, the Government of Armenia has recently signed the declaration of commitment and joined the global School Meals Coalition.
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27 May 2022
The European Union and WHO donated digital X-ray equipment to Goris Medical Center
The European Union and WHO today donated X-ray equipment to the Goris Medical Center for use in their radiology room. The donation is part of a larger assistance package, provided by the EU to help boost COVID-19 response in the country.
6 other hospitals in the capital Yerevan and regions have received X-ray equipment with the funding from the European Union. The new X-ray units facilitate monitoring of a patient’s progress and improve clinical decision-making. They are invaluable to hospitals which see hundreds of COVID-19 patients daily. While traditional film X-rays continue to be effective in establishing a diagnosis, digital X-rays allow for images to be manipulated, providing better quality and definition. This allows for precise and fast diagnostics in hospitals.
Andrea Wiktorin, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Lena Nanushyan, the Deputy Minister of Health and Henrik Khachatryan, the WHO Officer in Charge were at Goris Medical Center to hand over the X-ray equipment.
“Support to the healthcare in the regions is essential. The EU stands by Armenia to continue the fight against the virus, and improve the life of Armenian citizens,” said the Ambassador of the European Union to Armenia, Andrea Wiktorin.
“I would like to thank our partners for their continued and invaluable support in the fight against COVID-19 for the past two years. Within the framework of the ‘Solidarity for Health’ initiative- with the EU funding and support of the WHO, an X-ray device has been donated to Goris Medical Center, which will enable the necessary examinations with a modern device, providing better medical care to our compatriots," mentioned Lena Nanushyan, Deputy Minister of Health.
The Goris Medical Center has been among the recipient hospitals, which have received equipment from WHO through the ‘Solidarity for Health Initiative,’ funded by the European Union. The medical center has been supplied with 1 electrocardiogram machine and 3 oxygen concentrators, which helped hundreds of patients recover from severe illness, caused by COVID-19.
The guests also visited the ''Vaccination is Care'' campaign at Goris policlinics and spoke with health workers to hear about their first-hand experience and challenges they face with vaccine deployment. The "Vaccination is care” campaign, implemented within the European Union/WHO action to support deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination in Armenia and in close cooperation of Ministry of Health, is aimed at making the Covid-19 vaccination more accessible for people over 65 living in the marzes of Armenia through mobile vaccination groups, visiting polyclinics, outpatient clinics and community centers nearer to their residence. In addition to COVID-19 vaccination, the vulnerable elderly population have the opportunity to access other essential health services, including screening for non-communicable diseases such as anemia and diabetes.
“WHO has been committed to assist the country with strengthening the resilience of health system in Armenia with focus to regions through provision of training opportunities to local medical staff, supplying required medical essential supplies and equipment, which will make medical services accessible. The ‘Vaccination is Care’ campaign enables population in Syunik marz to get COVID-19 vaccines right in their medical centers without travelling.” mentioned Henrik Khachatryan, WHO Armenia, Officer in Charge.
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27 May 2022
UNHCR appreciates the support from the European Union (EU) to conflict-affected families in Armenia
On 23 May, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, organized a ceremony in Hrazdan town, Kotayk province, to thank the European Union (EU) for its generous support that benefited families in a refugee-like situation in Armenia displaced by the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict, improving their integration within the host communities. The contribution from the EU, in the framework of the 2021 Inter-Agency Response Plan, enabled UNHCR to provide timely and efficient protection support to the families in a refugee-like situation in Armenia – among them vulnerable women, children, older persons, and people with special needs.
This funding supported the establishment of community support initiatives through UNHCR partner Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) to strengthen peaceful co-existence between the people in a refugee-like situation and host communities, and allowed UNHCR to carry out important activities such as protection monitoring, case management, legal assistance, capacity building, and support to the inter-agency coordination architecture. UNHCR also implemented projects for women, including local women, to promote their self-reliance through livelihoods and inclusion in the host community.
The ceremony was held at the community-based NGO "Resource Center for Women’s Empowerment NGO" in Hrazdan, and welcomed the participation of the Deputy Head of Cooperation, the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ms. Silja Kasmann; the Mayor of Hrazdan, Mr. Sevak Mikayelyan; the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia a.i., Ms. Lila Pieters Yahia; Anna-Carin Öst, the UNHCR Representative in Armenia; as well as community-based NGOs, local families, and families in a refugee-like situation and their children.
“Today’s occasion,” said Ms. Lila Pieters Yahia, the UN Resident Coordinator a.i., “will give us the opportunity to celebrate the hospitality of the host communities and the resilience of the displaced people who are determined to start a new life, learn and create, and contribute to their host communities.”
“UNHCR sincerely thanks the European Union for its committed support for the families in a refugee-like situation” said Anna-Carin Öst, UNHCR Representative in Armenia during the ceremony. “EU’s contribution has enabled UNHCR and its partners to provide effective and efficient protection and community support activities, including psycho-social and legal support, as well as educational and livelihoods activities, reaching around 26,000 people in a refugee-like situation as well as the communities which have warmly welcomed and hosted them.”
“The EU is very grateful to our partners, in particular UNHCR but also other partners, for their tireless efforts to help people in need and ensure a timely response for effective and efficient refugee protection. For the EU, it is a priority to continue our support to people in a refugee-like situation and host communities,” mentioned Silja Kasmann, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Armenia.
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23 May 2022
Armenia’s cold chain system improved with USAID and UNICEF support
USAID and UNICEF continue to support the Ministry of Health to strengthen its National Cold Chain Capacity․ Three new walk-in cold rooms were delivered to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Armenia increasing the number of cold rooms in Armenia. These cold rooms ensure vaccine efficacy, proper storage, and accelerated vaccine roll-out.
John G. Allelo, USAID/Armenia Mission Director, amplified the significance of increasing cold chain capacity in his statement, “Expanding Armenia’s vaccine storage capacity is yet another step in strengthening the national cold chain system as the country seeks to accelerate its ongoing COVID-19 vaccine drive, ensuring more families and communities across the nation can be protected and reducing the risk of severe illness and death.”
“Empowering our regions with the necessary equipment to store vaccines is a critical step in continuing to increase our COVID-19 vaccinations and reaching our routine immunization targets. The continuous increase of our cold chain capacity will allow for better storage conditions in all areas throughout Armenia,” said Lena Nanushyan, First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health.
“Over the past year, Armenia has received large quantities of COVID-19 vaccines, including those delivered by UNICEF through the COVAX facility. Efforts to strengthen the cold chain to accelerate vaccine roll-out were therefore the need of the hour, which is why UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Health to first evaluate the system and new needs. Beyond the immediate needs related to the pandemic, this equipment will continue to serve routine immunization programmes for children,” noted Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.
The cold rooms are refrigeration chambers containing five-tier stainless steel shelving which support a weight of 300kg and floor, wall, and ceiling panels that maintain temperatures between +2°C to +8°C for vaccine storage.
“The cold rooms are a crucial part of the cold chain system, efficient from logistics point of view, as they have large storage capacity and do not require separate refrigerators or freezers to ensure vaccines are kept in proper temperature and do not lose their efficacy. The larger cold rooms, one of which will be installed in Yerevan and the other one in Shirak region, are 40 cubic meters with a vaccine storage capacity of up to 1 year. The smaller is 10 cubic meters and will be installed in Vayots Dzor region with a storage capacity of up to 3 months,” said Gayane Sahakyan, Deputy Director General of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the coming months, USAID and UNICEF will deliver 210 freezers (including five ultracold freezers), and 110 refrigerators to Armenia. This will be in addition to the 80 refrigerators and 285 freezers delivered at the beginning of April which have been distributed to 250 primary health care facilities across the country, enhancing availability of vaccines for all communities.
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04 May 2022
European Immunization Week 2022 in Armenia: WHO Regional Director for Europe and Minister of Health visit vaccination sites and thank all health workers with special WHO Award
In celebration of European Immunization Week (EIW) this week, Armenia Minister of Health, Anahit Avanesyan and WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, were joined by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin and UNICEF Representative Christine Weigand, on a visit to a vaccination site at the polyclinic of Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center, as part of Dr Kluge’s official two-day visit to Armenia.
This year, the EIW highlights the historic achievements of vaccination, including progress towards the global eradication of polio and the regional elimination of measles and rubella. It also draws attention to the potential of vaccines to achieve even more, such as control hepatitis B and eliminate cervical cancer. The hundreds of thousands of lives saved through COVID-19 vaccination in the WHO European Region alone are a recent noteworthy achievement.
Vaccination remains one of the foundations of healthier and longer lives and functioning public health systems.
Dr Kluge learned more about the National Immunization Programme’s successes and spoke with health care workers and parents of some of Armenia’s youngest citizens, who came for their scheduled routine vaccination.
The Regional Director acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the Government of Armenia to invest in routine immunization and reiterated the importance of continued commitment.
While talking to the elderly people being vaccinated against COVID-19 he commented, “Vaccines are safe and effective. Being vaccinated is extremely important, as it ensures that you protect yourselves, others, and have your personal stake in helping your country reach a crucial strategic goal to increase COVID-19 vaccination coverage overall”.
Recognizing the continued dedication and commitment of Health and Care Workers to improve the health and well-being of people in Armenia and across the WHO European Region, Dr Kluge officially handed over the International Year of Health and Care Workers Award 2021 to the Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan and through her to all health workers in Armenia.
The Regional Director highlighted that the award is a token of appreciation and gratitude for the unwavering dedication of health and care workers, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. He emphasized the urgent need to invest more in health workers for shared dividends in health, jobs, economic development, and equity.
Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan highlighted that the Ministry had been actively implementing activities aimed at the continuous professional development of health care workers and improvement of the quality of medical services during the recent years, as well as mentioned about the programs being implemented to equip medical centers and build new ones.
Referring to the response to the pandemic, the Minister noted, "The last two difficult years have shown that it is possible to jointly record victories. Our step-by-step success in the response to the pandemic is only due to your dedication and compassionate work, dear doctors. I can proudly state that thanks to our professional approach and coordinated work, we have been able to respond to this serious challenge. Although COVID-19 has not yet been fully overcome, the vaccination process is still ongoing and development of herd immunity inspires hope that the epidemic can be curbed”.
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05 April 2022
In Armenia, FAO and its partners boost forestry efforts and climate action
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a workshop on the project entitled ‘Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation’ to sensitize the project actors of the effective start of the project and to discuss details related to taking the project forward.
With a USD 10 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and USD 8.7 million in co-financing, the project stands to deliver long-term social, economic and environmental benefits, leveraging resources and expertise from multiple actors, including the Government of Armenia, the Austrian Development Agency, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano - Italy, the World Wildlife Fund Armenia, and FAO. The project goals will be realised by FAO jointly with the Environmental Project Implementation Unit under Armenia’s Ministry of Environment.
A wide array of state and non-state actors playing an active role in the country’s forest management and climate change initiatives gathered at the workshop, including representatives of the Ministries of Environment, Economy, Finance, and Territorial Administration and Infrastructure; the project funding agencies and implementing partners; civil society; academia; and the private sector, among others.
“Involving multiple actors is a key focus of the project. We are delighted that a diverse group of experts from relevant ministries, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and international organizations were involved in various stages of this project – starting from the project design - to maximize the ownership at the national level,” said Raimund Jehle, FAO Representative in Armenia.
Armenia is highly vulnerable to climate change. The World Bank reports a clear increase in the annual number of extreme weather events (such as hurricanes, snow storms, and heat waves) data in recent decades. Current climate trends and projections for the country indicate future elevated average temperatures, precipitation and river-flow decreases, and snow cover reduction. At the same time, the population depends heavily on fuelwood, which puts forests that are sensitive to climate change under further stress.
This eight-year forestry project aims to increase forest cover in Armenia by 2.5 percent, and to reduce the fuelwood demand of rural communities by at least 30 percent. The project also works to increase the role of communities governing and managing natural resources, and to improve fuelwood management as well as the production of wood and non-wood forest products and services.
Two regions – Lori in the north, and Syunik in the south – are targeted. They were selected based on forest types, population density, local poverty levels, and exposure to climate change, in addition to the potential impact on important forest ecosystems.
The project represents a relatively new approach to sustainable forest management in Armenia, with the potential to act as a model for the entire country and to produce a paradigm shift towards low-emission development.
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About the project Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation
FAO and the Green Climate Fund
FAO in Armenia
Forestry
Regional Initiative for Managing natural resources sustainably and preserving biodiversity
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Press Release
25 May 2022
Over-consumption in the world’s richest countries is destroying children’s environments globally, new report says
FLORENCE/NEW YORK, 24 May 2022 – The majority of wealthy countries are creating unhealthy, dangerous and noxious conditions for children across the world, according to the latest Report Card published today by UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti.
Innocenti Report Card 17: Places and Spaces compares how 39 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) fare in providing healthy environments for children. The report features indicators such as exposure to harmful pollutants including toxic air, pesticides, damp and lead; access to light, green spaces and safe roads; and countries’ contributions to the climate crisis, consumption of resources, and the dumping of e-waste.
The report states that if everybody in the world consumed resources at the rate people do in OECD and EU countries, the equivalent of 3.3 earths would be needed to keep up with consumption levels. If everyone were to consume resources at the rate at which people in Canada, Luxembourg and the United States do, at least five earths would be needed.
While Spain, Ireland and Portugal feature at the top of the league table overall, all OECD and EU countries are failing to provide healthy environments for all children across all indicators. Some of the wealthiest countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada and the United States, have a severe and widespread impact on global environments – based on CO2 emissions, e-waste and overall consumptions of resources per capita – and also rank low overall on creating a healthy environment for children within their borders. In contrast, the least wealthy OECD and EU countries in Latin America and Europe have a much lower impact on the wider world.
“Not only are the majority of rich countries failing to provide healthy environments for children within their borders, they are also contributing to the destruction of children’s environments in other parts of the world,” said Gunilla Olsson, Director of UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. “In some cases we are seeing countries providing relatively healthy environments for children at home while being among the top contributors to pollutants that are destroying children’s environments abroad.”
Additional findings include:
Over 20 million children in this group of countries have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental toxic substances.
Finland, Iceland and Norway rank in the top third for providing a healthy environment for their children yet rank in the bottom third for the world at large, with high rates of emissions, e-waste and consumption.
In Iceland, Latvia, Portugal and the United Kingdom 1 in 5 children is exposed to damp and mould at home; while in Cyprus, Hungary and Turkey more than 1 in 4 children is exposed.
Many children are breathing toxic air both outside and inside their homes. Mexico has among the highest number of years of healthy life lost due to air pollution at 3.7 years per thousand children, while Finland and Japan have the lowest at 0.2 years.
In Belgium, Czech Republic, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland more than 1 in 12 children are exposed to high pesticide pollution. Pesticide pollution has been linked with cancer, including childhood leukaemia and can harm children’s nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, endocrine, blood and immune systems.
UNICEF is calling for the following steps to protect and improve children’s environments:
Governments at the national, regional and local level need to lead on improvements to children’s environments today, by reducing waste, air and water pollution, and by ensuring high-quality housing and neighbourhoods.
Improve environments for the most vulnerable children. Children in poor families tend to face greater exposure to environmental harm than do children in richer families. This entrenches and amplifies existing disadvantages and inequities.
Ensure that environmental policies are child sensitive. Governments and policymakers should make sure that the needs of children are built into decision making. Adult decision makers at all levels, from parents to politicians, must listen to their perspectives and take them into account when designing policies that will disproportionately affect future generations.
Involve children, the main stakeholders of the future: Children will face today’s environmental problems for the longest time; but they are also the least able to influence the course of events. Adult decision makers at all levels, from parents to politicians, must listen to their perspectives and take them into account when designing policies that will disproportionately affect future generations.
Governments and businesses should take effective action now to honour the commitments they have made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Adaptation to climate change should also be at the forefront of action for both governments and the global community, and across various sectors from education to infrastructure.
“We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to create better places and spaces for children to thrive,” said Olsson. “Mounting waste, harmful pollutants and exhausted natural resources are taking a toll on our children’s physical and mental health and threatening our planet’s sustainability. We must pursue policies and practices that safeguard the natural environment upon which children and young people depend the most.”
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Press Release
20 May 2022
Almost one billion children and adults with disabilities and older persons in need of assistive technology denied access, according to new report
GENEVA/NEW YORK, 20 May 2022 - A new report published today by WHO and UNICEF reveals that more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or apps that support communication and cognition. Yet nearly one billion of them are denied access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access can be as low as 3% of the need for these life-changing products.
The Global Report on Assistive Technology presents evidence for the first time on the global need for and access to assistive products and provides a series of recommendations to expand availability and access, raise awareness of the need, and implement inclusion policies to improve the lives of millions of people.
“Assistive technology is a life changer – it opens the door to education for children with impairments, employment and social interaction for adults living with disabilities, and an independent life of dignity for older persons,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Denying people access to these life-changing tools is not only an infringement of human rights, it’s economically shortsighted. We call on all countries to fund and prioritize access to assistive technology and give everyone a chance to live up to their potential.”
“Nearly 240 million children have disabilities. Denying children the right to the products they need to thrive doesn’t only harm individual children, it deprives families and their communities of everything they could contribute if their needs were met,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Without access to assistive technology, children with disabilities will continue to miss out on their education, continue to be at a greater risk of child labor and continue to be subjected to stigma and discrimination, undermining their confidence and wellbeing.”
The report notes that the number of people in need of one or more assistive products is likely to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050, due to populations ageing and the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases rising across the world. The report also highlights the vast gap in access between low- and high-income countries. An analysis of 35 countries reveals that access varies from 3% in poorer nations to 90% in wealthy countries.
Affordability is a major barrier to access, the report notes. Around two thirds of people with assistive products reported out-of-pocket payments for them. Others reported relying on family and friends to financially support their needs.
A survey of 70 countries featured in the report found large gaps in service provision and trained workforce for assistive technology, especially in the domains of cognition, communication and self-care. Previous surveys published by WHO note a lack of awareness and unaffordable prices, lack of services, inadequate product quality, range and quantity, and procurement and supply chain challenges as key barriers.
Assistive products are generally considered a means to participate in community life and in wider society on an equal footing with others; without them, people suffer exclusion, are at risk of isolation, live in poverty, may face hunger, and be forced to depend more on family, community and government support.
The positive impact of assistive products goes beyond improving the health, well-being, participation and inclusion of individual users – families and societies also benefit. For example, enlarging access to quality-assured, safe and affordable assistive products leads to reduced health and welfare costs, such as recurrent hospital admissions or state benefits, and promotes a more productive labor force, indirectly stimulating economic growth.
Access to assistive technology for children with disabilities is often the first step for childhood development, access to education, participation in sports and civic life, and getting ready for employment like their peers. Children with disabilities have additional challenges due to their growth, which requires frequent adjustments or replacements of their assistive products.
The report makes recommendations for concrete action to improve access, including:
Improve access within education, health and social care systems
Ensure availability, safety, effectiveness and affordability of assistive products
Enlarge, diversify and improve workforce capacity
Actively involve users of assistive technology and their families
Increase public awareness and combat stigma
Invest in data and evidence-based policy
Invest in research, innovation, and an enabling ecosystem
Develop and invest in enabling environments
Include assistive technology in humanitarian responses
Provide technical and economic assistance through international cooperation to support national efforts.
To improve access to assistive technologies in Armenia, UNICEF, in partnership with UNDP, works to:
Develop the policy framework on assistive technologies, including funding mechanisms, a national list and technical specifications for professional service provision.
Facilitate collaboration between social, education and health systems for unified and coordinated provision of assistive technologies.
Integrate assistive technologies into disability assessment.
Support education service providers on the usage and benefits of assistive technologies in learning.
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Press Release
23 May 2022
UNICEF partners with the Public Television of Armenia to produce dedicated series on positive parenting
YEREVAN, 20 May – UNICEF and the Public Television of Armenia launched a unique partnership this week in the framework of the daily Healthy Lifestyle programme to support mothers and fathers to get reliable information from leading experts on positive parenting in Armenian. The programme will feature episodes, entitled ‘UNICEF corner. Positive parenting’, twice a week that have been designed with the help of Parenting School NGO.
The episodes provide practical tips and advice to parents that will improve their parenting skills, relationships with their children and their family, as well as promote a culture of self-care and positive talk about mental health and wellbeing.
“When travelling to the marzes, I often hear from women and especially new mothers that they actively seek information about childcare and parenting but usually come across either outdated information or online sources in other languages. Partnering with the Public TV and Parenting School we aim at providing useful information to caregivers in their own language and firsthand from leading psychologists in Armenia,” said Ms Silvia Mestroni, UNICEF Representative in Armenia, OIC. “The content we developed also pays attention to adolescence as a period of childhood. It’s a unique time in anyone’s life where parenting requires an approach that is adjusted to this phase of development.”
“As a public broadcaster, the First TV channel has an important educational mission to contribute to the healthy development of the society. This time our partnership with UNICEF Armenia focuses on positive parenting, and this is a special initiative for us as it will contribute to a society that has higher awareness of and consciousness about the importance of positive parenting. I am confident that in the future we will have other formats to promote positive parenting skills in Armenia,” noted Mr Tigran Virabyan, General Producer of the Public Television of Armenia.
“It was not an easy task for our experts to choose the most urgent, sensible and comprehensive topics for the series. There is so much to share with parents on conscious and positive parenting, but we chose to focus on more practical hints and on giving parents a toolkit of skills and habits for every positive parent to help them bring palpable changes in their parent-child relationships. We share information and methodology on how to become a skilled and happy parent, as we believe that only happy parents can raise happy children,” said Mrs Anna Velitsyan, founder of Parenting School NGO. “This cooperation with UNICEF gave us an unprecedented opportunity to reach every Armenian parent in every corner of the country, something we as parenting psychologists, could indeed only dream of.”
Follow the episodes on the Public Television at 18:00 or watch them online through UNICEF’s YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3MwfgAX].
UNICEF works to ensure wellbeing of families and children through promotion of positive parenting and provision of psychosocial support to parents and children. In 2020-2022 UNICEF has reached over 32,000 parents and children with mental health and psychosocial support.
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Press Release
29 April 2022
UNICEF and WHO warn of ‘perfect storm’ of conditions for measles outbreaks, affecting children
NEW YORK/ GENEVA, 29 April 2022 – An increase in measles cases in January and February 2022 is a worrying sign of a heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles affecting millions of children in 2022, warn WHO and UNICEF.
Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
The risk for large outbreaks has increased as communities relax social distancing practices and other preventive measures for COVID-19 implemented during the height of the pandemic. In addition, with millions of people being displaced due to conflicts and crises including in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia and Afghanistan, disruptions in routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination services, lack of clean water and sanitation, and overcrowding increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.
Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021. As measles is very contagious, cases tend to show up quickly when vaccination levels decline. The agencies are concerned that outbreaks of measles could also forewarn outbreaks of other diseases that do not spread as rapidly.
Apart from its direct effect on the body, which can be lethal, the measles virus also weakens the immune system and makes a child more vulnerable to other infectious diseases like pneumonia and diarrhea, including for months after the measles infection itself among those who survive. Most cases occur in settings that have faced social and economic hardships due to COVID-19, conflict, or other crises, and have chronically weak health system infrastructure and insecurity.
“Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunization coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles.”
In 2020, 23 million children missed out on basic childhood vaccines through routine health services, the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019.
As of April 2022, the agencies report 21 large and disruptive measles outbreaks around the world in the last 12 months. Most of the measles cases were reported in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The figures are likely higher as the pandemic has disrupted surveillance systems globally, with potential underreporting.
Countries with the largest measles outbreaks since the past year include Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. Insufficient measles vaccine coverage is the major reason for outbreaks, wherever they occur.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted immunization services, health systems have been overwhelmed, and we are now seeing a resurgence of deadly diseases including measles. For many other diseases, the impact of these disruptions to immunization services will be felt for decades to come,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Now is the moment to get essential immunization back on track and launch catch-up campaigns so that everybody can have access to these life-saving vaccines.”
Coverage at or above 95 per cent with two doses of the safe and effective measles vaccine can protect children against measles. However, COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions have delayed the introduction of the second dose of the measles vaccine in many countries.
As countries work to respond to outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and recover lost ground, UNICEF and WHO, along with partners such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the partners of the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and others are supporting efforts to strengthen immunization systems by:
Restoring services and vaccination campaigns so countries can safely deliver routine immunization programmes to fill the gaps left by the backsliding;
Helping health workers and community leaders communicate actively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations;
Rectifying gaps in immunization coverage, including identifying communities and people who have been missed during the pandemic;
Ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine delivery is independently financed and well-integrated into overall planning for immunization services so that it is not carried out at the cost of childhood and other vaccination services;
Implementing country plans to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthening immunization systems as part of COVID-19 recovery efforts.
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Press Release
29 April 2022
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson headlines week-long commemoration of global vaccination efforts and calls for greater investment
NEW YORK, 27 April 2022 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson is leading UNICEF’s global immunization initiative with a global message thanking the scientists, parents, health workers and others who have been so critical in helping to immunize children over the last two decades.
In a video released ahead of World Immunization Week, Neeson talks about how the efforts of scientists such as Jonas Salk, who developed the first vaccine against polio, and dedicated workers who fill vials at factories or deliver vaccine injections, have made it possible to save two to three million child lives each year.
“Vaccines are a remarkable human success story. Over last the 75 years, billions of children have been vaccinated, thanks to scientists, to health workers, to volunteers. If you’ve ever been vaccinated, or vaccinated your children, then you are part of the arm-to-arm chain that keeps all humanity safe,” said Liam Neeson, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. “We live our lives free of worry about catching smallpox. Once a terrifying diagnosis, polio is no longer a threat in most of the world. The conversation about vaccines in recent years has lost sight of how much good they have done for each of us. We need to celebrate this. It is perhaps one of the biggest collective achievements in human history.”
Every like, share, or comment on posts mentioning a UNICEF social media account and using the hashtag #longlifeforall from now until May 10 will unlock US $1 to UNICEF, from the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – up to a total of US$10 million – to help ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need.
Despite the successes, an alarming 23 million children missed out on vaccinations in 2020. This number can only be reduced through greater commitment to and investment in immunization services. UNICEF is the world’s leading provider of vaccines to children in over 100 countries. With Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and partners UNICEF supplies vaccines to reach 45 per cent of the world’s children under five. UNICEF also works with Governments in over 130 countries to strengthen national health and immunization programmes.
“The last two years have taught us that a health care system that leaves some children exposed, is a health care system that leaves all children exposed,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The best way for the world to recover from this pandemic – and to prepare for future health emergencies -- is to invest in stronger health systems, and immunization and essential health services for every child.”
World Immunization Week – celebrated every year in the last week of April – is spearheaded by the World Health Organization and brings together global partners to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The theme for this year is #LongLifeForAll, with ‘long life’ reflecting the importance of lifespan vaccinations.
“We are in a race against time to restore the immunization services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate progress against all vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Gargee Ghosh, President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “That is why we are thrilled to work with UNICEF and other partners around the world to ensure children – especially those in the world’s poorest countries – have access to the vaccines they need to live a long, healthy life.”
“UNICEF ensures that nearly half of the world’s children under five are ‘protected by love’ with lifesaving vaccines,” said Martha Rebour, Executive Director of Shot@Life, United Nations Foundation. “We are honored to support and promote their work during World Immunization Week and hope that others will join us in our advocacy for these critical global vaccine programs.”
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