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04 August 2022
UNICEF establishes two preschool services in Lori marz with the financial support of the European Union
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03 August 2022
Health and wellbeing across the life-cycle: Armenia strengthens health reforms with WHO support
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03 August 2022
A distinctive center of the whole grain wheat: UN World Food Programme’s new initiative
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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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15 July 2022
Armenia launches national consultation on transforming education
Republic of Armenia Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, UN Armenia and UNICEF held the inaugural national consultation ahead of the Transforming Education Summit in September. The objective is to ensure a participatory and comprehensive consultative process to uncover the current challenges in education and potential solutions.
The event was attended by Mr Vahram Dumanyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Ms Lila Pieters Yahia, acting UN Armenia Resident Coordinator, Ms Silvia Mestroni, acting UNICEF Representative, Mr Artur Martirosyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, as well as representatives of international organizations, diplomatic corps, youth and civil society organisations, private sector, teachers and education experts.
Mr Dumanyan welcomed participants and noted that Armenia is part of the global discussion on transforming education. Ahead of the Summit in September in New York, the line of national consultations will help Armenia in the process of current education reforms and long-term strategic planning on development of education. It will also help Armenia crystalize the scope of pledges for the transforming education agenda.
“Our government is determined to continue an active dialogue with the main stakeholders, including with the youth, through a participatory democratic process. Education is a priority area for us, and, at present, we lead reforms across all levels of education that include a number of legislative changes, large scale investment and development programmes that focus on enhancing inclusion, access and quality. One thing is evident – the development of education requires everyone’s active engagement and cooperation at national and international levels. From that perspective, our consultation today is very important,” stated Minister Dumanyan.
“It’s extremely important to highlight Armenia's commitment and leadership towards preparing its participation for the Transforming Education Summit taking place after the UN General Assembly session. Transformed education systems are one of the keys to unlocking the broader breakthroughs to secure a better future for all, through the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals,” noted Lila Pieters Yahia, acting UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia.
“The world is in the depths of a learning crisis, which existed before COVID and it was aggravated by the pandemic. It affects vulnerable children the most and is a major driver of intergenerational poverty and inequality. So we must act urgently to bring every child back to the classroom, have systems in place to assess their level of learning and wellbeing and help them catch up on lost learning,” noted Silvia Mestroni, Acting UNICEF Representative in Armenia. “Together with UN Armenia, UNICEF will organize a number of youth consultations ahead of the Summit. Young people have the right to express their opinion on this matter and their opinion matters.”
Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Mr Artur Martirosyan presented the main issues and goals that Armenia’s ‘Development of education until 2030’ state programme will address. He emphasized that the majority of issues being discussed at global level on transforming education are already part of the national strategy on education in Armenia, as well as other documents. Mr Martirosyan placed particular importance on issues of increasing financing for education, digitalization of education, enhancing skills in parallel to knowledge, linkages with the labor market, and ensuring accessibility of education services.
“This meeting is important in two aspects. First, scoping out the range of pledges that Armenia can take at the Transforming Education Summit in New York, and second, as another platform that ensures participation and democratic governance in the field of education and related state policy,” noted Mr Martirosyan. “The Armenian government is getting ready to review and approve the plan of action contingent to the Education Strategy, which will also entail consultations with stakeholders.” The Deputy Minister called on participants to be active in outlining suggestions that the Ministry can consider.
Participants of the national consultation were invited to take part in breakdown group discussions on inclusion, fair, safe and healthy schools, teaching, learning, life, labor and sustainable development skills, digital education and transformation, as well as on financing of education.
The results of the national consultations will be used by the government to prepare for the Transforming Education Summit to be held in September in New York within the scope of the UN General Assembly. Prior to the national consultations, Deputy Minister Martirosyan attended the Pre-Summit on June 28-29.
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19 July 2022
WFP expands its presence in Armenia with a new office in Syunik to boost agriculture
YEREVAN – In response to the increasing numbers of food insecure people in the southern regions of Armenia, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has opened a new office in Kapan city to help with its expanding operations in the Syunik region. WFP will support communities relying on agriculture as a source of employment by helping with irrigation systems and efforts to build sustainable, climate-sensitive food systems.
Since the farmers of Syunik lost access to lands and pastures after the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict, WFP is investing in more efficient land resources to enhance the agricultural sector in that region and improve the life quality of the people living there.
“There is a lot of potential in Syunik region, and we want to enhance agricultural infrastructure and create additional opportunities for people. WFP effectively cooperates with the Government of Armenia and engages with the community members to promote sustainability in the region, identifying and addressing challenges,” said WFP Deputy Country Director and Officer-in-Charge, Ms. Nanna Skau. “WFP’s projects aim at strengthening food systems and ensuring access and availability to adequate and nutritious food all year-round while promoting agriculture through investments in climate-sensitive solutions,” she added.
At the end of 2021, WFP started implementing an irrigation water infrastructure project in eleven villages across four communities in Syunik region. The construction of more than 35 km of irrigation canals will water more than 1000 hectares of land, promoting agricultural development that will enhance market opportunities for vulnerable farmers and create opportunities for farmers to effectively engage in high-value agriculture.
In addition, to promote the economic viability of agricultural activities in Syunik, WFP is investing in the profitable legume value chain. The goal is to give local communities better access to food and knowledge related to agribusiness while at the same time providing employment opportunities for both men and women.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the RA Ministry of Economy, Syunik Marzpetaran and the UN World Food Programme to promote resilience in Syunik by promoting investment in climate-sensitive, economically sustainable food systems. The MoU will increase the productivity and profitability of farms and improve agricultural infrastructure.
“We congratulate WFP on opening a new office in Syunik region,” said Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Arman Khojoyan. “The presence of the office in Syunik and the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding will increase the productivity and profitability of small and medium farms in the region.”
Within the framework of the project, WFP works with the National Agrarian University to support agricultural projects and develop the capacities of farmers. Training sessions and consulting services help the farmers master innovative agricultural technologies and acquire the necessary skill set to boost agriculture in their communities and achieve sustainability.
“We’ve been working with WFP for more than a year and since then our partnership has positively impacted our community and people. Together with WFP, we want to improve agricultural growth and create a learning environment for people to be able to increase their income and meet their food needs and other necessities,” said Mr. Robert Ghukasyan, Governor of Syunik.
WFP has been implementing a School Feeding programme in Syunik since 2013 providing hot and nutritious meals to more than 4000 primary school children. The programme has been successfully nationalized in 2016. WFP has also been implementing school agriculture projects throughout Armenia, including in Syunik, where schools are supported with agro-capacity in the form of greenhouses, intensive orchards, and solar stations that play a dual role of having educational importance for the schoolchildren and becoming an income-generating source of self-sustainability for the schools.
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13 July 2022
With the support of the UNAIDS, the workshop titled "Expansion of Methadone Replacement Treatment in Armenia" was held
On July 8, with the support of the UNAIDS, the "Real World, Real People" NGO (RWRP NGO) initiated a workshop entitled "Expansion of methadone replacement treatment in RA". The event was attended by government officials and civil society representatives.
The workshop started with the welcome speech of RWRP NGO president Zhenya Mayilyan, according to which back in 2019 the organization launched the HIV prevention program among PWID with the financial support of the Global Fund. In 2021, the UNAIDS created an additional opportunity to expand the coverage of methadone substitution treatment in addition to the already existing programs and presented additional mechanisms for providing services to the above-mentioned persons in epidemic and emergency situations.
Speaking about the goal of the project, Roza Babayan, UNAIDS Country Director, said that they highlighted the importance of strengthening the accessibility of quality services for all target populations.
"We must use all opportunities to make services more accessible to our beneficiaries in the future and have effective mechanisms to provide quality health services, especially in emergency situations caused by epidemics. I should also mention that the research carried out within the framework of this project made it possible to address a number of legal barriers and existing inequalities and problems, the existence of which still hinders making services even more accessible. Currently, we have an unprecedented opportunity to put an end to epidemics together by forming effective mechanisms, making the provision of quality health services available," assured R. Babayan.
Hasmik Harutyunyan, the coordinator of the programs of Global Fund in Armenia, welcomed the attendees and emphasized in his speech that the OST program is one of the most effective programs financed by the Fund. She emphasized that the RA Ministry of Health is currently working on the issue of including this program in the medium-term expenditure plans.
According to the data presented by the National Center for Addictions Treatment of the Ministry of Health of Armenia, during 2020-21, as a result of cooperation with the "Real World, Real People" NGO, the center conducted HIV testing and counseling among drug users. In 2020, their number was 151, and in 2021, 188."
It should also be noted that during the last 3 years, 15 thousand 101 people were tested for HIV among the programs implemented by the NGO, of which 85 were confirmed to be HIV positive, 66 were referred to the National Center for Infectious Diseases (updated data available are www.ncid.am).
The results of the project "To scale up OST and OST delivery mechanisms to recover the COVID-19 impacts " implemented with the support of the UNAIDS were also summarized. It was recorded that the program was successful, which is also confirmed by the results: out of 101 people attached to the support of the OST program, 92 are currently continuing treatment. During that period, 101 beneficiaries were provided with 301 social-psychological consultations.
The reports were followed by a question-and-answer session, during which the participants asked the specialists the questions they were interested in and came up with various recommendations for implementing reforms in the field.
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19 July 2022
UNHCR and Migration Service meet with stakeholders to initiate a comprehensive package of law amendments on international protection
On 15 July 2022, a kick-off meeting with stakeholders to discuss the initiative of the comprehensive review of the legislation on international protection was held in Yerevan. The meeting was co-organised by the Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia and the Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia, in the framework of the project “Strengthening Migration Management Capacities in Support of Government Reform Agenda in Line with CEPA”. The project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented jointly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR.
The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan, the Head of the Migration Service Armen Ghazaryan, the Deputy Minister of Justice Arpine Sargsyan, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan, the Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin, the IOM Head of Office Ilona Ter-Minasyan, and the UNHCR Officer-in-Charge and Protection Officer Andrei Arjupin, as well as other stakeholders representing the judiciary, state authorities, international organisations, academia and the civil society.
During his opening remarks, the Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan stressed the importance of the project, stating:
“The strengthening of the migration management and asylum systems are high on the Government’s agenda. We currently focus on some vital institutional reforms such as digitalisation and simplification of the migration management and service provision systems, and enhancement of the mechanisms for the reception of asylum-seekers. The Government of Armenia has been benefiting from UNHCR’s long standing cooperation, their expert and technical support in that regard”.
Recognising the importance of transparent and consultative process of reviewing the legal framework on international protection, the EU Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin welcomed the establishment of the Inter-Agency Working Group and wished
“Productive discussions to revise the relevant legal framework, helping to improve the asylum and migration management.”
The meeting allowed the participants to discuss the key directions of the comprehensive review of the national legislation on international protection. The parties talked about the establishment of an inter-agency working group of experts representing state agencies, NGOs and international stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and equitable consultative process in the development of a comprehensive package of legislative amendments to benefit the persons seeking international protection in Armenia.
Welcoming the initiative of developing a comprehensive package of law amendments, the Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan said that the issues related to the protection of asylum-seekers and refugees in Armenia have been included nearly in all annual reports published by the Human Rights Defender’s Office (HRDO).
“HRDO has voiced about the legislative and implementation gaps hindering the protection of asylum-seekers and refugees. Hence, the envisaged legislative amendments should help address crucial issues such as non-refoulement, or provision of free-of-charge translation and interpretation services enabling smooth communication between asylum-seekers and all the stakeholders, including border-guards, the police, penitentiary institutions and other state bodies”, she said. Referring to the capacity of the system, she highlighted the importance of allocation of sufficient state funds enabling to meet the reception needs.
In his turn, the UNHCR Officer-in-Charge Andrei Arjupin underlined UNHCR’s commitment to support the Government’s efforts in the ongoing legislative reforms by applying a comprehensive and an integrated policymaking approach.
“UNHCR is determined to provide expert support to our state counterparts in developing a comprehensive package of law amendments on international protection and bringing it further in line with international standards”, he stated.
Acknowledging the Government’s efforts toward delivery of inclusive, accountable, and effective services to asylum-seekers and other displaced populations, the parties emphasised the importance of strengthening the partnership among the stakeholders to further support the Government’s initiatives aimed at enhancing the fairness, efficiency, adaptability and integrity of the asylum system.
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19 July 2022
Armenia boosts its vaccine cold chain safety with the European Union and World Health Organization support
The European Union (EU) and World Health Organization (WHO) donated today a brand-new refrigerated truck to the National Center of the Disease Control (NCDC) under the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Republic of Armenia as part of ongoing support to the national response to COVID-19 pandemic. The refrigerated truck is yet another contribution in ensuring proper cold storage equipment and transportation of vaccines all over Armenia.
"The EU continues to join the targeted efforts to strengthen the health systems worldwide and overcome COVID-19. Thanks to the developments in science, vaccines are one of the most efficient ways to that end, and we need to ensure that they remain safe and efficient for people. Thus, the refrigerated truck is another contribution to ensuring proper cold storage equipment and transportation of vaccines all over Armenia. We are happy to cooperate with WHO and the Government of Armenia to help people stay healthy and resilient to the virus," said Andrea Wiktorin, the Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia.
The refrigerated truck tops up already contributed 30 medical refrigerators and 4 high temperature freezers provided to ensure that vaccines remain safe and efficient all along from national vaccine warehouses to regional centers and health-care facilities. The refrigerated truck has 9 cubic meters of cargo capacity. It has refrigeration capacity modified and installed in accordance with WHO requirements. The truck is equipped with an independent electrical support and a diesel generator to ensure the vaccine safety and efficiency 24 hours 7 days a week including in case of emergencies and lack of electricity.
"Recently, there has been a steady increase in pandemic numbers around the world. Our statistical data is also worrying. As before the start of the vaccination process, we are confident nowadays that vaccination is effective in the response to pandemic. However, in addition to the availability of the vaccines, appropriate storage conditions should be ensured for the vaccines distributed to regional polyclinics or outpatient clinics. This refrigerated truck donated by our partners will allow the vaccine distribution to be carried out under safer and more efficient conditions," said Lena Nanushyan, First Deputy Minister of Health.
"Thanks to the EU partnership and funding and an exemplary teamwork with the NCDC and the MOH, WHO is enabled to channel its technical and logistic support successfully in Armenia to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination remains one of the most cost-effective and proven foundations for healthier, longer life and functioning public health systems. It is essential to ensure that vaccines remain safe and efficient all the way throughout the country. Nowadays COVID-19 is still spreading and taking lives, being vaccinated is vital. This way you protect yourself from severe disease and help protect those, who you care about – your family and friends, your neighbors and community at large," noted Jihane Tawilah, WHO Representative to Armenia.
The donation is part of a larger support package, implemented by WHO with the financial support of the ‘European Union–WHO/Europe Action for deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination project’, a critical assistance to ensure safe and effective vaccination against COVID-19 in six Eastern Partnership countries including Armenia.
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04 August 2022
UNICEF establishes two preschool services in Lori marz with the financial support of the European Union
In coordination with the RA Ministries of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, and of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Lori regional authorities and other partners, and with the support of the European Union, UNICEF established two new preschool services in Saratovka settlement of Tashir consolidated community and Karkop settlement of Shnogh consolidated community.
Within the framework of the Future Today project, funded by the European Union, UNICEF partnered with the local municipalities to renovate and refurbish the allocated rooms and bathrooms, and joined efforts with the Step-by-Step Foundation to ensure selection and training of teachers, and to provide the new centers with educational materials, toys, books and games. Solar panels were also installed to reduce heating and, consequently, maintenance costs. Within the framework of the program, trainings were organized for caregivers who can take on the role of preschool teacher, providing them with new methodologies of working with young children, especially in mixed age groups. Teachers will then receive additional training and support from the nearest formal kindergarden. Local municipalities are committed to sustain the established services through allocation of funds for recurrent costs such as teacher salaries and utilities.
“High-quality early childhood education and care lays the foundations for later success in life in terms of education, well-being, employability and social integration. Moreover, by providing access to early childhood education and care in local communities, we also provide women with new opportunities, to engage in and design activities based on their needs,” noted Bruno Montariol, International Aid/Cooperation Officer at Delegation of the European Union to Armenia.
According to the State Program for Development of Education in the Republic of Armenia (approved by Government on July 27, 2022), by 2030 affordable preschool services should be available in all settlements of Armenia, and accessible for all families, and moreover, all children should be included in preschool programs for at least one year before going to school. This alternative model of preschools for rural communities offers an affordable and effective way to scale up coverage across Armenia and is an integral part of the national pre-school education policy as reflected in the 2021 Law on Preschool Education.
“This year UNICEF, with support of EU, established already three new preschool services in Syunik region and 2 new preschool services in Lori region. Today, by establishing another 2 preschool services in Karkop and Saratovka settlements of Lori region, we are moving two steps forward towards universal enrollment. Yet there is still a long journey ahead, as there are about 229 settlements that do not have a preschool. Therefore, in the coming years, we will continue to support the Government both in the expansion of the network of preschool services in rural communities, and in improving the quality of early learning services in general,” noted Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.
Over 90 children aged 0-6 living in Karkop and Saratovka will now be able to attend early learning centres right in their villages before they start school. Moreover, thanks to the Government subsidy provided to Karkop settlement, in the near future, on the basis of this alternative service, a state program of preschool education will be built in Karkop.
With support of the European Union, UNICEF will establish preschool services in another 18 settlements across Armenia, moving 18 steps forward towards a big dream, SDG 4.2 and one of the goals of the State Program for Development of Education by 2030 – a quality early learning #foreverychild, whoever she is, wherever he lives.
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04 August 2022
A distinctive center of the whole grain wheat: UN World Food Programme’s new initiative
Yesterday, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) celebrated the opening of the training and resource center, which was created within the framework of the "Whole Grain Value Chain" project implemented in the region.
The project integrates several components to succeed from awareness raising to educational campaigns: around 200 people improved their knowledge about wholegrain wheat and enhanced their skills in bread baking. In addition, 71 farmers received 35,400 kg of wholegrain wheat seeds and in 2021 harvested 425 tons of wheat from 120 hectares.
The event was attended by WFP Deputy Director and OiC Nanna Skau, Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khojoyan, Head of Multilateral Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs David Grigoryan and Deputy Governor of Tavush Narek Ghushchyan.
In her speech, Ms. Skau mentioned that everyone, both locals and tourists, can visit the training center for not only to taste, but also to bake whole grain bread products themselves.
"We are sure that this center will bring positive results and become a precedent for the establishment of other similar centers in Armenia," she added.
The training and resource centre has been established to sustain the opportunities of creating new whole grain recipes and to be a place to teach baking of whole grain products and sell their products.
The "Whole Grain Value Chain" project was launched back in October 2020 despite severe droughts in the area. WFP started to support and invest in the whole grain value chain and increase the presence of whole grain bread and bakery products in the market. The project also aims to improve dietary habits among people and contribute to food systems in Armenia.
Within the framework of the project, investments were made in 5 bakeries to provide ovens, solar panels, training, and equipment, to bake whole grain bread and then ensure that children in the province could get whole grain bread as part of their school meals. About 7,100 schoolchildren from 75 schools in Tavush had the opportunity to replace white wheat bread with more nutritious and healthy whole grain bread.
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05 August 2022
Health and wellbeing across the life-cycle: Armenia strengthens health reforms with WHO support
The Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ararat Mirzoyan and the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Armenia, Dr. Jihane Tawilah met to discuss joint initiatives and priorities for health and well-being across the country at a meeting in the capital, Yerevan, today.
The Minister highly appreciated activities carried out by WHO in Armenia and expressed gratitude for the support to respond to COVID-19 pandemic and overcome its consequences.
Dr. Tawilah observed that despite the challenges of the past two years of conflict and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Armenia has been moving forward steadily with its health reform process, laying a foundation for the well-being of future generations. WHO continues to support national efforts and priority development reforms that place health at the centre of socioeconomic growth, working with all development partners, and consolidating coordination and joint planning for health under the European Programme of Work (EPW) 2020–2025, a comprehensive framework of health priorities across the life-cycle that guides WHO’s work in the Europe and Central Asia region, agreed upon by all 53 Member States including Armenia.
“It is a great privilege for me to be in Armenia. At WHO, we continue working closely with the Government, civil society, academia, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen universal access to quality health services, prepare for and respond better to public health emergencies, and promote the health and wellbeing of the people of Armenia including the most vulnerable,” said Dr. Tawilah while presenting the letter of her credentials.
Quality health care accessible to everyone regardless of their financial means, effective preparedness and response against health emergencies, healthy communities as contributors to an economy of well-being, are the three core elements of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) signed between the Republic of Armenia and WHO in April 2022.
Dr Tawilah also thanked Minister Mirzoyan for Armenia hosting the forthcoming WHO-led Global Meeting of Emergency Medical Teams in Yerevan on 5-7 October 2022 , a unique event to be held for the first time in Europe where more than 450 participants are expected from across the world including high-level officials and ministers of health.
“WHO Armenia and the Regional Office for Europe will spare no possible efforts to develop further, both at the country level and within the WHO European Region, our long-lasting and fruitful partnership with the Republic of Armenia and a range of health partners for the wellbeing of all citizens here and across the region”, Dr Tawilah said. “Health is everyone’s business and is integral part of development and economic prosperity of the country rather than a cost. It requires multilsectoral collaboration, transcending any divides and identifying areas of common interest that serve all people. In this, Armenia is assured of WHO as a trusted partner now, and in the years ahead.”
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01 August 2022
UNICEF and Gradarak establish a child-friendly center in Dvin with the support of the Government of Japan
UNICEF and Gradarak Educational and Cultural NGO have joined hands to establish a child-friendly center in Dvin settlement, Ararat marz with the support of the Government of Japan. The center will serve as community library with learning resources and games, and as safe spaces to provide children and adolescents with psychosocial support and child protection services, if necessary.
“In any society, children are the most vulnerable group, especially this becomes more serious in times of crisis for the country, such as conflict and epidemic, therefore ensuring the safety and well-being of children is a priority for any country. We are pleased to see that this assistance has served for the improvement of healthcare system and education of vulnerable children and adolescents in five regions of Armenia. I would like to emphasize that the Government of Japan will continue to support the country in its path of achieving sustainable development,” said Mr. Masanori Fukushima, Ambassador of Japan to Armenia.
This was made possible thanks to effective collaboration with Dvin municipality that provided the space for the centers and also invested 2,500,000 Armenian drams in the renovation works. After consolidation of communities in the Ararat marz, Dvin settlement is now part of Artashat consolidated community. The latter will cover the running costs of the center to ensure the operation of the community-based center, which will serve around 450 children, adolescents, and young people annually. Together with the Gradarak Educational and Cultural NGO, UNICEF renovated and furnished, as well as supplied the centers with a wide variety of books, utensils, development games, learning and recreation materials for various ages of children.
“Every community should be equipped with a network of multidisciplinary services for children, adolescents and youth. UNICEF has worked in this direction during our previous five-year country programme, and we continued to do so amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of the humanitarian situation and needs around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We will continue to support communities throughout Armenia within our current five-year country programme to improve the existing services for children and adolescents and provide them with opportunities to learn and develop in a safe environment,” said Ms Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.
“Gradarak has already established over 5 community libraries across Armenia with the purpose of making learning accessible to all children and inspiring them to continue learning, reading and developing in their free time. Our partnership with UNICEF brought new meaning to this mission and we are pleased that these two centers will also operate as safe spaces, whenever there’s a need. We are also grateful to our partner architectural and design studios for their pro bono support in the conceptualization and design of both spaces,” noted Ms Arusyak Zeynalyan, Co-founder and CEO of Gradarak educational and cultural NGO.
UNICEF supported the training of all seven Gradarak-type librarians/coordinators, including those established in the past, to capacitate them with skills necessary to safely work with children and adolescents and help them organize interactive activities, such as theater plays, drawing classes, movie screenings, book clubs, training and workshops of interest, as part of psychosocial support services, supported by the Government of Japan.
As part of the larger support from the Government of Japan, starting from February 2021, UNICEF and partners reached over 35,000 children and adolescents and their families in Armavir, Kotayk, Ararat, Vayots Dzor and Syunik, including from Nagorno Karabakh with a variety of services. In particular, the educational and sanitary conditions of 15 schools were improved, safe spaces for children were established in 5 communities, more than 3,000 young people received a special course on basic life-saving skills, more than 100 teachers and 1,400 medical workers were trained, and 17 regional health facilities were provided with medical equipment and essential supplies.
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26 July 2022
UN Armenia’s Senior Team’s visit to Goris, Syunik Region
Syunik, 21 July 2022. The UN Armenia’s Country Team held its monthly meeting in the Syunik region. The objective was to meet and listen to the beneficiaries and partners, including the local authorities of the region, representatives of businesses, women and youth groups, gain in-depth understanding of the local development priorities and challenges and share information about UN programming and key achievements in 2021.
On the sidelines of the visit, the UN Team paid a visit to the UN/UNHCR Goris Field Unit office and visited the women resources center.
“Our frank and fruitful conversation with the local authorities, particularly with the Governor of Syunik and the deputy Mayor of Goris allowed us to review the impact of our ongoing broad partnership and its direct impact on the population, especially the one left behind and the displaced. We exchanged on the value added of flexible programming and the capacity of adjusting effectively to the needs of the communities within a volatile environment. We agreed on means to support ongoing efforts to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs for the people and to strengthen coordination with the partners engaged in the region. Furthermore, I am very inspired by the openness of the youth and women in business and in local politics, their willingness to create positive change towards a more inclusive, gender equal, fair and sustainable society and their strive to find solutions to reduce gender discrimination, environmental degradation, access to finance, renewable energy, and much more,” noted the Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia Ms. Lila Pieters Yahia.
In his speech the Governor of Syunik region Mr. Robert Ghukasyan expressed thankfulness to the UN Senior Team for the tremendous support and commitment to the Syunik Region. Governor emphasized the importance of having this type of coordination meetings more frequently and the need to replicate this model for other communities and regions. He also stressed for all partners to understand the needs of the communities and have their programs responding to them. He underlined the urgent need to invest in agriculture while taking into account climate change, security and water management.
The UN Team expresses gratitude to the local partners for the warm welcome and reiterates its commitment to further strengthen coordination and partnership for the benefit of the people of Armenia, not least women, young people and the displaced persons.
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Press Release
01 August 2022
Joint statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week
“As global crises continue to threaten the health and nutrition of millions of babies and children, the vital importance of breastfeeding as the best possible start in life is more critical than ever.
“This World Breastfeeding Week, under its theme Step up for breastfeeding: Educate and Support, UNICEF and WHO are calling on governments to allocate increased resources to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding policies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable families living in emergency settings.
“During emergencies, including those in Afghanistan, Yemen, Ukraine, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel, breastfeeding guarantees a safe, nutritious and accessible food source for babies and young children. It offers a powerful line of defense against disease and all forms of child malnutrition, including wasting.
“Breastfeeding also acts as a baby’s first vaccine, protecting them from common childhood illnesses.
“Yet the emotional distress, physical exhaustion, lack of space and privacy, and poor sanitation experienced by mothers in emergency settings mean that many babies are missing out on the benefits of breastfeeding to help them survive.
“Fewer than half of all newborn babies are breastfed in the first hour of life, leaving them more vulnerable to disease and death. And only 44 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed in the first six months of life, short of the World Health Assembly target of 50 per cent by 2025.
“Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding is more important than ever, not just for protecting our planet as the ultimate natural, sustainable, first food system, but also for the survival, growth, and development of millions of infants.
“That is why UNICEF and WHO are calling on governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector to step up efforts to:
Prioritize investing in breastfeeding support policies and programmes, especially in fragile and food insecure contexts.
Equip health and nutrition workers in facilities and communities with the skills they need to provide quality counselling and practical support to mothers to successfully breastfeed.
Protect caregivers and health care workers from the unethical marketing influence of the formula industry by fully adopting and implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, including in humanitarian settings.
Implement family-friendly policies that provide mothers with the time, space, and support they need to breastfeed.
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Press Release
28 July 2022
UNICEF establishes youth houses in Vagharshapat and Armavir communities with financial support from the Government of Japan
Yerevan, July 28, 2022 – UNICEF and partners announced the official opening of two new youth houses in Ejmiatsin and Armavir today. The events were attended by UNICEF Representative Christine Weigand, Second Secretary for Economic Cooperation at the Embassy of Japan in Armenia, Rika Onodera, Head of Vagharshapat Community Diana Gasparyan, Head of Armavir Community Davit Khudatyan and President of Council of Gyumri Youth Initiative Center NGO Artur Najaryan. The youth houses were established based on UNICEF’s concept of safe spaces for children and adolescents and will support more than 700 adolescents if both communities.
“The Government of Japan has implemented various projects which contribute to infrastructure development and human resource enhancement for socioeconomic and regional development in Armenia. In particular, we focus on educational field in implementing assistance to Armenia, as we believe that children are priceless treasures and education is a foundation for development of a country. We sincerely hope that the youth houses established with the financial assistance from the Government of Japan will serve as an important educational center for the youth of Ejmiatsin and Armavir communities for a long time,” noted the Embassy of Japan in Armenia.
“Safe spaces are places where adolescents gather, participate in informal educational opportunities, try to solve community problems, learn to work as a team, obtain 21st century skills and more. We know that these activities help to increase resilience and play an important role in providing overall psychosocial support to adolescents. Importantly, these spaces are also designed to provide support with referral to additional, more specialized interventions and services,” said Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.
The youth houses were made possible thanks to effective collaboration with community leaders and partners. The municipalities of Vagharshapat and Armavir selected and allocated the premises of the youth houses. Together with the Gyumri Youth Initiative Center NGO, UNICEF renovated and furnished, as well as supplied the centers with utensils, development games, learning and recreation materials for various ages of children. In addition, UNICEF and YIC trained new staff members for the centers on adolescent development, principles of working with adolescents and young people and provision of child-friendly services.
To ensure the sustainability of the centers, both communities included the operation costs of the centers, including staffing and utilities, in the five-year budget plan of the communities.
“We were excited to join our hands for this goal, because in our community, as in a number of other communities across Armenia, there was a need to support young people, create suitable educational opportunities for them, but there were no suitable resources. We are sure that starting today, this center will become a favorite place for our young people, and they will obtain new skills here,” noted Armavir community leader Davit Khudatyan.
“Strong and motivated young people are the backbone of our community, society and state, and every community should do everything possible to keep this potential in the community contributing to its development. This model provides a secure environment where we can motivate young people from school age. I believe that this center will become one of the important educational centers of our community forming responsible citizens,” noted Diana Gasparyan in her opening speech.
“Having many years of experience in the field of youth work, we can surely state that open youth centers create excellent opportunities for adolescents and young people to learn, express themselves, organize their free time. This contributes not only to their individual development and growth, but also, the development of their community,” said Artur Najaryan, Chairman of the Board of the Gyumri Center for Youth Initiatives NGO.
By the end of this year, UNICEF and partners will establish another youth house in Gavar town in Gehgarkunik region, with the support of the Government of Japan.
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Press Release
22 July 2022
Around 3 in 4 youth lack skills needed for employment, new report says
NEW YORK, 20 July 2022 – Nearly three quarters of young people aged 15 to 24 in 92 countries with available data are off-track to acquire the skills needed for employment, according to a new report published today by the Education Commission and UNICEF ahead of World Youth Skills Day.
Recovering learning: Are children and youth on track in skills development? features analyses on skills development in early childhood, and among children of primary school age and youth. The data highlight low levels of skills among children and young people across all age groups, with young people in low-income countries the least likely to have the skills required to thrive, particularly in future employment opportunities, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
“An inspired, skilled generation of children and young people is critical for prosperity, progression, and the success of societies and economies. Yet, the majority of children and young people across the world have been failed by their education systems, leaving them uneducated, uninspired, and unskilled -- the perfect storm for unproductivity,” said UNICEF Director of Education Robert Jenkins. “Investment in cost-effective, proven solutions to fast-track learning and skills development for today’s generation and future generations is urgently needed to address this crisis.”
With high rates of out-of-school young people and low attainment of secondary-level skills, countries worldwide are facing a skills crisis, with the majority of youth unprepared to take part in today’s workforce, the report notes.
Deep disparities across countries and among those from the poorest communities are increasing inequalities. In at least 1 in 3 low-income countries with available data, more than 85 percent of young people are off-track in the secondary-level, digital, and job-specific skills attainment, the report notes.
"To give young people the best chance to succeed and recover learning losses due to the pandemic, we need to support them holistically. But we can't recover what we don't measure. We need to know where children and youth are in building the range of skills they need and monitor their progress. That's why the Education Commission, UNICEF, and partners have been working to address critical data gaps, including the launch of the World Skills Clock to help track progress on and raise awareness around youth skills attainment around the world so we can target urgent action to prepare this generation to thrive in the future," said Education Commission Executive Director Liesbet Steer.
Data from 77 countries show that less than three-quarters of children aged between 3 and 5 years old are developmentally on track in at least three out of the four domains of literacy-numeracy, physical, social-emotional, and learning. At approximately 10 years old, the majority of children in low- and middle-income countries are unable to read and understand a simple text. These foundational skills are the building blocks for further learning and skills development, the report notes.
Basic literacy and numeracy; transferable skills including life skills and socioemotional skills; digital skills, which allow individuals to use and understand technology; job-specific skills, which support the transition into the workforce; and entrepreneurial skills are essential for children to thrive. These skills are also critical for the development of societies and economies.
UNICEF and the Education Commission are urging governments to reach every child with quality education and break down the barriers that put them at risk of dropping out; assess children’s learning levels and provide tailored catch-up classes to bring them up to speed; prioritize foundational skills to build a strong base for lifelong learning; and support psychosocial health and well-being by providing holistic support. The report outlines the need for more extensive data on the skills gap among children and young people across all age groups.
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Press Release
18 July 2022
COVID-19 pandemic fuels largest continued backslide in vaccinations in three decades
GENEVA/NEW YORK,15 July 2022 – The largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years has been recorded in official data published today by WHO and UNICEF.
The percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) – a marker for immunization coverage within and across countries – fell 5 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 to 81 per cent.
As a result, 25 million children missed out on one or more doses of DTP through routine immunization services in 2021 alone. This is 2 million more than those who missed out in 2020 and 6 million more than in 2019. The decline was due to many factors including an increased number of children living in conflict and fragile settings where immunization access is often challenging, increased misinformation and COVID-19 related issues such as service and supply chain disruptions, resource diversion to response efforts, and containment measures that limited immunization service access and availability.
“This is a red alert for child health. We are witnessing the largest sustained drop in childhood immunization in a generation. The consequences will be measured in lives,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “While a pandemic hangover was expected last year as a result of COVID-19 disruptions and lockdowns, what we are seeing now is a continued decline. COVID-19 is not an excuse. We need immunization catch-ups for the missing millions or we will inevitably witness more outbreaks, more sick children and greater pressure on already strained health systems.”
18 million of the 25 million children did not receive a single dose of DTP during the year, the vast majority of whom live in low- and middle-income countries, with India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and the Philippines recording the highest numbers.
It was hoped that 2021 would be a year of recovery during which strained immunization programmes would rebuild and the cohort of children missed in 2020 would be caught-up. Instead, DTP3 coverage was set back to its lowest level since 2008 which, along with declines in coverage for other basic vaccines, pushed the world off-track to meet global goals, including the immunization indicator for the Sustainable Development Goals.
This historic backsliding in rates of immunization is happening against a backdrop of rapidly rising rates of severe acute malnutrition. A malnourished child already has weakened immunity and missed vaccinations can mean common childhood illnesses quickly become lethal to them. The convergence of a hunger crisis with a growing immunization gap threatens to create the conditions for a child survival crisis.
“Planning and tackling COVID-19 should also go hand-in-hand with vaccinating for killer diseases like measles, pneumonia and diarrhea,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s not a question of either/or, it’s possible to do both”.
Monumental efforts will be required to reach universal levels of coverage and to prevent outbreaks. Inadequate coverage levels have already resulted in avoidable outbreaks of measles and polio in the past 12 months, underscoring the vital role of immunization in keeping children, adolescents, adults, and societies healthy.
First dose measles coverage dropped to 81 per cent in 2021, also the lowest level since 2008. This meant 24.7 million children missed their first measles dose in 2021, 5.3 million more than in 2019. A further 14.7 million did not receive their needed second dose. Similarly, compared to 2019, 6.7 million more children missed the third dose of polio vaccine.
WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a strategy for all countries and relevant global partners to achieve set goals on preventing diseases through immunization and delivering vaccines to everyone, everywhere, at every age.
The IA2030 partners call on governments and relevant actors to:
Ensure political commitment from national governments and increase domestic resource allocation to strengthen and sustain immunization within PHC;
Intensify efforts for catch-up vaccination to address backsliding on routine immunization, and expand outreach services in underserved areas to reach missed children and implement campaigns to prevent outbreaks;
Implement evidence-based, people-centred, and tailored strategies to build trust in vaccines and immunization, counter misinformation and increase vaccine uptake particularly among vulnerable communities;
Prioritize health information and disease surveillance systems strengthening to provide the data and monitoring needed for programmes to have maximum impact
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Press Release
24 June 2022
Schools ill-equipped to provide healthy and inclusive learning environments for all children – UNICEF, WHO
“Far too many children go to schools without safe drinking water, clean toilets, and soap for handwashing—making learning difficult,” said Kelly Ann Naylor, UNICEF Director of Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Climate, Environment, Energy, and Disaster Risk Reduction. “The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of providing healthy and inclusive learning environments. To protect children’s education, the road to recovery must include equipping schools with the most basic services to fight infectious diseases today and in the future.”
“Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is not only essential for effective infection prevention and control, but also a prerequisite for children’s health, development and well-being,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. “Schools should be settings where children thrive and not be subjected to hardship or infections due to lack of, or poorly maintained, basic infrastructure.”
Schools play a critical role in promoting the formation of healthy habits and behaviours, yet many still lacked basic WASH services in 2021. According to the latest data from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP):
Globally, 29 per cent of schools still lack basic drinking water services, impacting 546 million schoolchildren; 28 per cent of schools still lack basic sanitation services, impacting 539 million schoolchildren; and 42 per cent of schools still do not have basic hygiene services, 802 million schoolchildren.
One-third of children without basic services at their school live in LDCs, and over half live in fragile contexts.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania are the only two regions where coverage of basic sanitation and hygiene services in schools remains under 50 per cent; sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where coverage of basic drinking water services in schools remains under 50 per cent.
Achieving universal coverage in schools globally by 2030 requires a 14-fold increase in current rates of progress on basic drinking water, a three-fold increase in rates of progress on basic sanitation, and a five-fold increase in basic hygiene services.
In LDCs and fragile contexts, achieving universal coverage of basic sanitation services in schools by 2030 would require over 100-fold and 50-fold increases in respective current rates of progress.
Improving pandemic preparedness and response will require more frequent monitoring of WASH and other elements of infection prevention and control (IPC) in schools, including cleaning, disinfection and solid waste management.
Providing disability-accessible WASH services in schools is key to achieving inclusive learning for all children. Still, only a limited number of countries report on this indicator and national definitions vary, and far fewer provide disability-accessible WASH.
Emerging national data shows that disability-accessible WASH coverage is low and varies widely between school levels and urban and rural locations, with schools more likely to have accessible drinking water than accessible sanitation or hygiene.
In half the countries with data available, less than a quarter of schools had disability-accessible toilets. For example, in Yemen, 8 in 10 schools had toilets, but only 1 in 50 schools had disability-accessible toilets.
In most countries with data, schools were more likely to have adapted infrastructure and materials – such as ramps, assistive technology, learning materials – than disability-accessible toilets. For example, in El Salvador, 2 in 5 schools have adapted infrastructure and materials, but just 1 in 20 have disability-accessible toilets.
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Situation in Armenia
As of 2022, in Armenia, according to the Education Management Information System (EMIS):
More than 12500 school-students (3% ) and 1580 teachers (4%) in 135 public schools (9%) do not have sewage system within the territory of the school.
Almost 4400 school-students (1%) and almost 630 teachers (1.6%) in 70 schools (5%) do not have access to water (both drinking/portable or for handwashing), and
Almost 3600 school-students (0.9%) and 517 teachers (1.3%) in more than 60 schools neither have access to sanitation nor water.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, UNICEF improved the basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in 15 schools in Ararat, Armavir, Kotayk and Syunik marzes, making the schools disability accessible. This year, 5 additional schools will be supported in Goris, Kapan and Sisian communities of Syunik marz.
In addition, together with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, UNICEF plans to assess the sanitation and hygiene services of academic institutions, as well as review existing standards to improve basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services in academic institutions and provide a dignified environment both for students and teachers.
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