Highlights
- Armenia currently counts 115,257 refugees, including 36,000 children, who fled to the country in late September 2023, or were escorted through the Lachin corridor between December 2022 and September 2023, joining 26,700 displaced since the 2020 conflict.
- As of 31 May 2024, 17,059 children (0-9 years) from 11,184 households received clothing vouchers. Additionally, 2,397 pregnant and lactating women received pharmacy cards, and 265 children with disabilities (0-18 years) received both vouchers and cards.
- 22,868 children and caregivers accessed safe spaces and protection support, 26,621 received mental health and psychosocial support, and 4,420 vulnerable children were helped through child protection case management.
- 12,202 children accessed educational services, including early childhood and remedial education, and 6,254 children received learning and didactic materials.
- 6,461 children were assessed by mobile pediatric teams; over 630 were referred to higher-level health services, including psychosocial support. 5,351 caregivers received health and nutrition childcare counselling.
- 84,193 people were informed about preventive behaviors and services offline and online; 31,492 received information on feedback mechanisms and made inquiries.
- UNICEF revised its humanitarian appeal for children in April 2024, seeking US$14.3 million to continue support through 2024. Currently, US$8.4 million is available, leaving a 41% funding gap.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
As of May 2024, the State Migration Service reports 115,257 registered refugees, including an estimated 36,000 children, who fled to Armenia following the escalation of hostilities in late September 2023 or were escorted through the Lachin corridor between December 2022 and September 2023. They joined around 26,700 people who have been displaced since the 2020 conflict. On 26 October 2023, a government decree granted temporary protection for the refugee population for the duration of a year and subject to extension to ‘persons forcibly displaced’. To date 91,479 temporary protection certificates have been granted (20% for children) and 2,075 refugees have applied for Armenian citizenship.
A total of 30 children were identified as unaccompanied or separated from the beginning of the influx. Over 50% of those among them coming from residential care institutions have been placed in family-type care. Nearly 75 percent of the refugee population are living in Yerevan and surrounding regions (Kotayk, Ararat and Armavir). Figure 1 in the PDF reflects the spatial distribution of refugees as of May 2024.
Nevertheless, mobility across and outside the country continues. The Government had initially provided temporary accommodation to those in need, however after cash assistance for rent and communal expenses was provided by the Government, the vast majority moved to rented accommodation.
Several cash assistance programmes have been launched to date by the Government, starting with a one-time universal cash assistance of approximately US$250 per person for the months of November and December 2023, as well as an assistance programme to reimburse tuition fees for those attending higher education institutions in Armenia. Monthly cash assistance for housing and communal payments of US$100 and US$25 per person was launched in October 2023 initially for six months. To ensure continuity of financial support to refugee families, the Government has extended the assistance until December 2024 refocusing the assistance towards living costs and basic needs to leverage the more flexible funding required to sustain this critical support. This assistance is envisioned to also target refugees displaced during the 2020 conflict, except for about 15,000 people who have availed of the Government sponsored housing scheme. The total estimated budget for this assistance from April to December 2024 is US$121 million. Upon approval of the amendments to the Law on State Benefits and State Pensions, refugees can apply for pensions and social benefits, though there are issues in fully accessing some of the benefits related to registration challenges, regulations, and lack of proper awareness. To address long-term housing needs, the Government approved a new housing programme for around 25,000 refugee families, including provision of financial support for purchase, construction or payoff for existing mortgages. Having Armenian citizenship is a precondition to become eligible for the programme.
Over 17,000 refugee children were enrolled in school during the 2023/2024 academic year. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MESCS) is committed to ensuring full enrolment. No data are publicly available on school attendance nor on access to early childhood education. The risk of school dropout especially among adolescents is of concern due to several factors, including the difference in mandatory years of schooling. UNICEF’s ongoing engagement with partners and their social workers and psychologists continues to reveal that the need for mental health and psychosocial support is high and requires solid investment through a variety of approaches and channels. It also reveals high numbers of families with acute needs from the social protection and the child protection perspective.