Despite the recent gains in poverty reduction in Armenia, one third of the country’s population remains in poverty. USAID’s social protection activities work closely with the Armenian Government and civil society to deliver vital social services to vulnerable populations, build sustainable models of social services delivery, and strengthen the capacity of the government to implement its broad social reform agenda.

Ninety-seven percent of the 4,500 children residing in Armenia’s 42 institutions have at least one living parent. Yet, the number of children living in orphanages remains relatively stable despite a decline in Armenia’s child population over the last few years. USAID places a special emphasis on promoting national child welfare reforms to ensure social inclusion and equal access to services and opportunities for especially vulnerable children. The goal of USAID’s activities are to get children back to families and to get the resources into communities necessary to keep children safe, healthy, and with a family.

USAID also maximizes the use of government-to-government agreements and supports local civil society organizations to implement activities in this sector and build local sustainability. USAID believes that through greater civic engagement and oversight of the social sector reforms, combined with greater capacity and motivation on the part of government, governance in Armenia will become more participatory, effective, and transparent. 

CURRENT PROGRAM

The Pension Reform Implementation Program (PRIP) provides technical assistance to support Armenia in pension reform implementation and provision of integrated social services to help individuals, households, and communities better manage social risks and needs.

Social Inclusion of Vulnerable Children in Armenia – The program supports the Government of Armenia’s national child welfare reform to stop the flow of children into residential educational and care institutions, as well as reintegrate de-institutionalized children into a family environment by developing alternative family- based care and community-based services. In parallel, the program will also help strengthen the network of community social workers and incorporate child protection into the integrated social services package.

Support to Social Sector Reforms in Armenia – The project seeks to promote an improved social protection system in Armenia that is responsive to the needs and concerns of citizens. The project will encourage citizens to participate in monitoring of social sector reforms; strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations to advocate for and monitor these reforms; and develop recommendations for further improvement of social policies and better protection of social rights.

Support to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to Implement Social Sector Reforms – USAID works directly with the Government of Armenia on national child welfare reforms to stop the flow of children into institutions and reduce the number of children in institutional care. The project will also help strengthen the integrated social services system in Armenia.  ‡‡‡