Armenia - OCHA-08: 01-30.Sep.98
Armenia - OCHA-08: 01-30.Sep.98
Situation Report from the OCHA Coordinator in ARMENIA
OCHA No. 08
September 1998
HIGHLIGHTS
>From 22-23 September a National Conference on Children in Special and
Boarding Institutions was organised by the Ministry of Education and
Science (MoES) and cosponsored by the World Bank and UNICEF.
The Second International Conference on -Earthquake Hazard and Seismic Risk
Reduction- - The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
(IDNDR) regional conference for the CIS and Central and Eastern
Europe-dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake was held
on 15-21 September in Yerevan.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Social Development
A government committee was set up for effective management of the small and
medium-sized business development credit programmes that were provided to
the Armenian Government by the Lincy Fund. On 15 July 1998, an agreement
was signed under which the Lincy Fund granted a USD 10 million credit to
the Armenian Government for a period of six years. The programme is aimed
at promoting the development of the private sector in Armenia,
strengthening trade banks as well as, by granting credits to private
enterprises and businessmen, raising the output of products and improving
their quality, creating new jobs and developing internal and external
markets.
The Government is planning to increase welfare expenditure in the 1999
State Budget, Armenian President told journalists from the CIS and the
Baltic States. An insurance system, as well as a social insurance agency
should be developed in the country. Commenting on the reforms in the public
health sector, the President pointed out that the state still lacks means
to finance hospitals, so the -to finance a patient, not a hospital- formula
should be followed.
Other Issues
On September 17 the Armenian Assembly of America's NGO Training and
Resource Centre (AAA NGOC) facilitated a roundtable meeting between
representatives of Armenian NGOs, the National Assembly Standing Committee
on Social, Health and Environmental Issues, the Ministry of Social Welfare,
and the Republican Tax Inspectorate. The roundtable was a follow-up to
previous NGO meetings coordinated by the NGOC during which NGOs comments
and suggestions on the draft laws on charity and on grants were summed up
and presented to the relevant government agencies. A number of issues were
clarified. New questions on further elaboration of the drafts were also
raised during this joint Government-NGO discussion. Two NGO working groups
will be formed to prepare highlights of arguments in support of changing
certain provisions in the drafts.
A geochemical laboratory to determine the quality of coal has been set up
and is currently operating in Armenia within the framework of the Coal
Resources Assessment Programme being implemented by the United States
Geological Survey (USGS). The laboratory is supplied with up-to-date
equipment designed to obtain the most precise data on heat combustion,
humidity, volatility, the content of sulphur, and other major parameters of
coal study. A database on resources in Armenia has been created on the
basis of numerous archive documents. This database is being continually
processed and enlarged at the computer centre operating at the geochemical
laboratory.
SECTORAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS
Food Security/Agriculture
On 10 September a regular food-aid subcommittee meeting was held at the WFP
Office. The participants gave updates on their food aid programmes. OCHA
briefed on the joint OCHA/UNHCR visit to the Vardenis Centre (psychiatric
hospital and internant for mentally retarded people) in Gegharkunik marz.
Some 300 people over 18 years old live in the Centre. At the meeting with
the officials of the Centre it was revealed that although the Government
allocates funds for the operation of the institution, still there are food
shortages in the institution, specifically flour, sugar, butter and
cereals. The issue was raised at the meeting with Sevan Office of the
Department of Refugees and Migration Issues of the Ministry of Social
Welfare (former UNHCR Sevan Field Office). WFP stated it might consider its
possible assistance to the institution. IFRC informed that in the beginning
of July 1998 they received funds from the Danish Red Cross to purchase food
for psychiatric institutions. IFRC made an assessment in nine such
institutions to find out the food availability situation there. The
findings were that the Government is taking increased responsibility of
supporting these institutions. Thus, IFRC made a decision to use the funds
to provide food assistance to a total 2,500 lonely elderly people
countrywide. ICRC continues its food aid programme (initiated in 1992) in
the northeastern border regions of the country. Quarterly supplementary
food distribution to 13 kindergartens in the regions is carried out. The
food will be sufficient until the end of this year. ICRC voiced hope that
they another organisation might take over the support to those
kindergartens throughout 1999. IFRC stated that micro-credit programmes are
needed in those regions. The representative of the PAROS project informed
that they have been working on the family benefits projects initiated by
the Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW), which will start in January 1999
instead of planned date of 1 October 1998. Out of the presently registered
500,000 households only half of them will receive social benefits. From a
WFP perspective, there are still groups who need food assistance now and
will need it in the future as well. WFP will need better targeting to
support the most vulnerable people. WFP is planning to reduce its caseload
from 140,000 down to around 100,000. Presently, WFP is reasonably well
resourced. Three food distributions will be carried out for the rest of
this year and the beginning of the next year. WFP has received a proposal
from the MoSW to do a food distribution for 35,000 refugees living in the
communal centres. A winter food preservation project for 15,000
women-headed households was completed recently. This year WFP has provided
some 3,000 MTs of food for 300 food-for-work (FFW) projects. Since WFP has
not sufficient funds to purchase non-food items, they are willing to
cooperate with any other agency that can provide non-food items to
implement FFW projects. In this area WFP is already cooperating with UNHCR
and Save the Children.
In cooperation with Vahagn Ltd., the -Nuard- Women's Union has initiated a
project of food assistance to vulnerable elderly people. About 120 lonely
elderly are provided with hot meals on a daily basis. To support the
psychological rehabilitation of the beneficiaries, a rehabilitation Centre
-Grace- was created to operate within the framework of the programme.
Health, Nutrition and Sanitation
In response to the cholera outbreak in Armavir marz, UNICEF provided the
Republican Epidemiological Surveillance Station with a cholera diagnostic
kit, which includes laboratory supplies and reagents. Oral Rehydration
Salts, antibiotics, blankets, bed linens and water containers were also
supplied.
Education, Training and Child Care
In September UNICEF sponsored the participation of Armenian delegations in
various events relating to the issue of disability. A delegation consist of
representatives from the Ministries of Education, Health and Social
Welfare, and a national NGO Bridge of Hope, in the 5th International
Congress on Serving Children with Disabilities in the Community held in
Washington. Deputy Minister of Education attended the International
Symposium on Professional Development held in Washington, which focussed on
involving students with disabilities in education systems.
>From 22-23 September a National Conference on Children in Special and
Boarding Institutions was organised by the Ministry of Education and
Science (MoES) and cosponsored by the World Bank and UNICEF. The objective
of the conference was to discuss the Government's strategies related to
the system of boarding institutions and ways of strengthening the
country's
education services for children with disabilities. Presentations were made
by representatives from the Government, Governors' Offices, UN, donors,
international and national NGOs and special institutions. The MoES is
developed a reform strategy of boarding institutions in the education
network. It is based of the following guidelines: it is preferable to
organise the child's education without isolating him/her from the family
and society, children with special needs have equal rights of choosing the
education institution, they have the right for access to special education,
health care, social and other services, independent of the type of
education institution they have chosen. The main directions of the reforms
are institutional adjustment of the boarding network, improvement of
enrolment guidelines, decentralisation of the services performed in the
institutions, reduction of student enrolment in boarding institutions by
transferring them into general education institutions and by organising
community-based services, improvement of finance and management mechanisms.
The World Bank presented its Children's Initiative project, which is aimed
at supporting the reform strategy of the MoES. Economic/financial research
and needs assessment was undertaken related to the matter. The main
objectives of the project are: facilitate integration of children with
disabilities into the society, cost-effective initiatives for integration,
respond to needs of vulnerable families and children and improve their
welfare, strengthen the institutional care and community-based
alternatives. Intensive group discussions were held on the reform strategy
for the institutional system, community-based alternatives, finance and
management system.
Shelter
A cabinet meeting chaired by Armenian President approved the priority
programme of restoration of the earthquake zone. Under the programme, funds
will be allocated to those who live in makeshifts so that they could buy
flats. The programme also provides for short and long-term loans as well as
private housing construction with government assistance. The programme
embraces 95 populated areas.
Community Development and Income Support Activities
On 24 September Advisor to the Armenian President Vahan Hovhanissian
received a group of Armenian NGOs dealing with community issues and
representatives of the AAA NGOC to discuss the role of NGOs and how they
can facilitate community development. The NGOs presented a summary report
of the problems faced by rural and urban communities in Armenia along with
concrete suggestions for improving the situation. The report included
suggestions on how address certain problems in a more cost-effective way,
improving domestic self-government legislation with effective mechanisms
for interaction between all community development stakeholders, the
necessity of developing a comprehensive programme for community development
in which all players, including NGOs, will participate. The Presidential
Advisor suggested that a roundtable discussion of NGO suggestions with
participation of representatives of local authorities be organised.
Development Related Activities
UNDP has started the implementation of the activities of the Integrated
Support to Sustainable Human Development (ISSHD) Project in March 1998. The
project aims to establish an umbrella for formulation and implementation of
the Sustainable Human Development strategies in the regions damaged by the
1998 earthquake and military conflict. During March-September the
activities have been implemented in governance, social infrastructure
rehabilitation, agricultural development and environmental rehabilitation
components. Training programme in management and leadership was implemented
in Lori, Shirak, Siunik and Tavoush marzes for the 160 heads of departments
and principal specialists of the Governors' offices. Training courses in
taxation, community budgeting and management for the village mayors was
completed in Shirak marz. In September a new training programme requested
by the Governor Office of Lori marz and the Ministry of Territorial
Administration was initiated in the marz for the village and city mayors
and their staff in community budgeting, community social and economic plans
and self-governance system in the country. Training will be completed in
April 1999. Social infrastructure rehabilitation component of the project
aims to restore school environment in the border regions and earthquake
zone by rehabilitating schools (some 10 schools) and providing some
furniture and materials. The restoration of five schools in Shirak and
Siunik marzes will be completed in December 1998. Some 20 primary health
care facilities will be also restored in rural areas with the collaboration
of UMCOR. In November the rehabilitation of 12 primary health care
facilities will be completed. The strategy of the agricultural development
component is to enhance the capacities of Spitak Agricultural Centre to
revive poultry, seed production and milk processing areas and to serve as
an intermediary link to reach the principal beneficiaries of the project --
farmers and farmers' associations in Lori marz. The project provides
agricultural inputs, technical assistance, advisory services to the
agricultural centre and farmers in the marz.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is currently implementing school, water
system rehabilitation projects throughout the country and is considering
carrying out shelter project for refugees. The rehabilitation of four
schools in four marzes was completed, and the rehabilitation of another
three schools in Vayots Dzor and Gegharkunik marzes are in the process.
Drinking water projects have been implemented in two villages of
Gegharkunik marz. Four other water projects are implementing in
Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, Kotayk and Aragatsotn marzes. NRC is planning to
start new water projects this year.
OTHER ISSUES
On 21 September a Seminar on Humanitarianism and War Project/Local
Capacities for Peace Project was held at the Save the Children Armenia
Office. The seminar was facilitated by Greg Hansen, consultant for the
project. The one-day session focused on problems and opportunities facing
aid agencies in the Caucasus, with specific reference to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Greg Hansen presented his recently published Humanitarian Action in the
Caucasus: A Guide for Practitioners. Several topics were discussed at the
session, among them the effects of the political process on aid programmes,
interactions with de facto authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, enhancing
transparency of aid agency operations with government authorities, and
other issues. The strategy session was one of a series of workshops
currently being held throughout the Caucasus, which are being supported and
organised by the Regional Focal Group - UNOCHA and Save the Children
regional offices and UNHCR Georgia.
The Second International Conference on -Earthquake Hazard and Seismic Risk
Reduction-
The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) regional
conference for the CIS and Central and Eastern Europe-dedicated to the 10th
anniversary of the Spitak earthquake was held on 15-21 September in
Yerevan. The conference summarised the experiences and achievements of
different countries in the field of earthquakes and other natural disaster
reduction, as well as discussed the possible strategy of seismic risk
reduction in the 21st century. The conference was attended by over 300
specialist from 43 countries, which was organised by the Armenian National
Seismic Protection Service (NSPS) and sponsored by the Government of
Armenia and IDNDR. The subsequent discussions and presentations at the
conference stressed that disaster reduction should continue to be a major
priority in regional, national and international development and civil
protection strategies. Within the framework of the conference, the 5th
Conference on Cooperation of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European
Countries on the Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters (Magdeburg
Process) was held from 15-17 September. The 5th Magdeburg Conference
provided the necessary political backdrop for the discussions on disaster
prevention, reduction and response taking place on the 10th anniversary of
the Spitak earthquake. Another important component of the conference was
the organisation and hosting of the RADIUS Initiative mid-term workshop for
the evaluation of progress in the RADIUS Case Studies and for discussions
on urban seismic risk reduction practices. The RADIUS Initiative was
launched by the UDNDR Secretariat, aiming to prepare earthquake disaster
scenarios and the risk assessment in urban areas. The participants
recommended that NSPS of Armenia act as the UN Caucasus Regional Centre for
Seismic Risk Reduction in close cooperation with focal points in
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia. It was also recommended that a distinct
capacity within the UN system be set up as a successor to the IDNDR
Secretariat in order to ensure an effective and continued international
support to ongoing efforts in disaster reduction after the close of the
Decade.
UNHCR and AAA NGOC continue their local NGO development cooperation efforts
within the framework of NGO Capacity-Building Programme for local NGOs
dealing with various issues of refugee population in Armenia. The programme
designed and implemented by the AAA NGOC through funding support of UNHCR
aims at developing organisational and institutional capacities of local
NGOs. The programme is comprised of the following components: class-room
training focusing on such topics as strategic planning, fundraising,
building partnerships and strategic alliances, individual on-site
consultancies on strategic planning, and direct financial assistance to
trainee NGOs to address at least three internal organisational weaknesses
as identified during the strategic planning process.
The UNICEF Strategy Meeting was held on 11 September to discuss strategies
for a programme of cooperation for the period 2000-2004. The meeting was
attended by representatives of the Armenian Government, UNICEF officials
from the CEE/CIS Regional Office, Caucasus Area Office, UN Agencies in
Armenia, international organisations and NGOs. The overall goal of the
country programme of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government is to
assist national and local authorities, communities and families to fulfil
their obligations to children as defined by the Conventions on the Rights
of the Child and on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women and the Armenian Law on the Rights of the Child and the Plan of
Action of the World Summit for Children. The programme will focus on the
following national priorities: access to basic social services for the most
disadvantaged children and women, the maximum survival, development and
protection of the young child, the full development, protection and
participation of adolescents, the realisation of the rights of women. The
participants in the meeting reached a consensus on the main thrust of the
programme, its goals, priority areas for intervention as well as specific
objectives and strategies needed to attain the goals.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs - Armenia Field
Coordination Unit Yerevan, Armenia
Ms. Knarik Kamalian
Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Tel./Fax: (003742) 151 749
E-Mail: ocha@arminco.com or unocha@freenet.am
Complex Emergency Response / Consolidated Appeal Process (CER/CAP) - Geneva
Mr. Ernest Chipman - Chief
Mr. Arjun Katoch
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Annette.Choquet@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr
Tel.: (1 212) 963.0226
Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: mclachlan-karr@un.org
Information Service
Ms. Therese Gastaut - Director
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2300
Fax: (41 22) 917.0030
E-Mail: tgastaut@unog.ch
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