LIVE: Problems Facing Graduates of Children’s Homes in Armenia (video)
June 22, 2016, at 11:00, Yerevan, Armenia: The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), in cooperation with the Public Journalism Club (PJC) and the Media Center, is hosting a discussion, entitledProblems Facing Graduates of Children’s Homes in Armenia. According to UNICEF, around 4,000 children live in Armenia´s 42 state and private orphanages, boarding and special schools. About 80 percent either still have one parent or come from socially disadvantaged families. Since 2003, they remain in state care until they are 23 and are provided with lodging. But housing remains a problem, and dozens of orphanage graduates are currently on a waiting list to receive lodging. NGOs have tried to fill this gap by setting up transition homes and a handful of these, spread throughout the country, host orphanage graduates from 18 to 23. Some experts say that aside from the housing problem, orphanage graduates also face challenges related to employment. Due to the widespread stereotyped image of orphanage graduates, potential employers have preconceived ideas about people who grew up in orphanages and therefore often fail to follow the procedures related to labor rights. IWPR has attempted to bring up the challenges facing graduates of orphanages in Armenia in an article published on May 27, which is available here - https://goo.gl/TY5dbu. We intend to give the issue wide publicity by organizing a round table discussion and shedding light on what has changed after reforming the system in Armenia for the last ten years and what impact the changes might have. The Armenian speakers of the discussion event are: Lena Hayrapetyan, head of the Department of Family, Women and Children Issues at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Hayk Khemchyan, Child Protection Officer at UNICEF Grigori Hovhannisyan, National Program Development Director at SOS Children's Villages Armenia Mira Antonyan, Chairwoman of Armenia's Child Protection Network and Fund for Armenian Relief Children's Support Centre This event is part of IWPR’s Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides — Reducing Tensions across the South Caucasus project, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event is implemented in cooperation with the Public Journalism Club’s Media Center.
