Helping Armenia to factor changing population dynamics into poverty reduction policies
Project name: ARM1P001 Support to Development of Population Policies
Budget: 80,000 USD
Timeline: January 2006 - December 2006
What's the situation?
The population of Armenia is 3.2 million, according to the 2001 census. The country's social and economic transition has greatly influenced population dynamics and exacerbated the decline in growth that began in the 1960s. However, it should be noted that a positive trend has been observed in 2003 and 2004, with the estimated number of annual births at 37,000.
Armenia's demographic situation has changed considerably over the last 20 years. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia suffered a deep economic crisis, which was exacerbated by the 1988 earthquake, armed conflict, the presence of thousands of refugees and an energy crisis. Since the late 1980s and early 1990s a large flow of emigrants led not only to a general population decrease but also to negative changes in Armenia's population structure and a disruption in the ratios of gender, age, education and profession. Migration has been highest among people who are economically active and of reproductive age. As a result, Armenia is facing challenges of depopulation and aging.
Armenia's elderly citizens are greatly affected by poverty and often lack access to basic social services. The consequences of this rapid aging of the population have not been fully assessed or analysed. However it is clear that the Government has little capacity in place to develop the necessary population policies to address these challenges.
What's our mission?
With this project UNFPA aims to ensure that Armenia's national and sectoral policies and strategies take into account the consequences of its population dynamics (low fertility, migration, and aging). It also aims to contribute to building the government's capacity to take these consequences into consideration when planning strategies for development and poverty reduction.
How is UNFPA doing this?
In the first year of implementation of the project an inter-ministerial working group and steering committee chaired by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and represented by the Ministries of Finance and Economy, Health, Education, Youth and Culture and the National Statistical Service (NSS) is being prepared t o develop a concept paper on the formulation and implementation of population policies in Armenia. Based on the concept paper, an expert group will analyse population trends, which will allow for the identification of main directions for the formulation and implementation of population policies and legislative frameworks, specific institutional and gaps in human resource capacity to be addressed under the programme.
As one of the main outcomes, in late 2005, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance and Economy will organize a regional forum on population and development issues for government officials, decision-makers, parliamentarians, and civil society representatives, during which the results of this work will be presented and discussed.
During the project, UNFPA will provide external technical assistance and cooperate with renowned demographic, population development education and learning centres on the training of government officials and technical staff in population and development. UNFPA will also support the Academy of Civil Service of Armenia to introduce a course on population and development.
A round-table on population and development will be organized for members of parliament. The aim of this activity will be to help parliamentarians and other stakeholders become familiar with and sensitive to the scope and nature of population and development issues facing Armenia.
Who are our partners?
In this project UNFPA is working in partnership with the Government of Armenia, multilateral and bilateral donors and NGOs as well as educational and social support institutions.
How will Armenia benefit?
All the projects under the UNFPA programme on Population and Development Strategies will have nationwide impact. They will benefit government and independent experts in population and development, government decision-makers, development planners and technical staff involved in formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategies. They will also increase policy makers' understanding of demographic issues.
Poor and disadvantaged population groups will benefit indirectly over a longer timeframe, as the refined and adjusted poverty reduction policies will help the government to target these groups more effectively.
Project Documents:
Contact Details:
Mr. Garik Hayrapetyan
UNFPA Assistant Representative
garik@unfpa.am
| Printable Version |  |
