The major part of UNHCR Armenia’s activities and programmes in Armenia are implemented through partner organizations, which are being selected as a result of periodic calls for applications.
The ongoing main projects are implemented by the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS), Mission Armenia NGO, KASA Swiss Foundation, the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia and the Women’s Support Center NGO.
More details can be found below.
Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS)
Project title: Refugee Protection and Economic Integration
This Project is aimed at improving the protection environment and facilitate integration for refugees, asylum-seekers and other displaced persons in Armenia.
In particular, the activities focus on the following key priority areas: (i) prevention of refoulement and improvement of access to the territory and asylum procedures through capacity building and monitoring of border crossing points in Armenia; (ii) facilitation and integration support including economic integration of refugees, persons in refugee-like situations and, when applicable, asylum-seekers; (iii) prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against refugees and asylum-seekers in Armenia, (iv) ensuring refugee child protection and mainstreaming mechanisms are in place and cases responded.
Cooperation is strengthened with the Government, including border guards, and NGO representatives. The Project increases awareness and enhances identification skills of entry officials through border monitoring visits, provision of technical assistance, and capacity development activities. In addition, ARCS conducts meetings with potential asylum-seekers at borders, including detained asylum-seekers at border crossing points (BCPs), with a view to identify protection risks and needs, and, if required, provide appropriate basic humanitarian assistance. The Integration activities were designed according to the Migration Service’s Integration Strategy. Cooperation approach is considered to be the most important for integration support activities. In terms of facilitation of economic integration of persons of concern to UNHCR, the Project applies a comprehensive model in line with local integration plan by providing economic integration interventions. Education and cultural integration activities are aimed at enhancing the opportunities of PoCs to fully realize their potential and development opportunities. The social and psychological well-being of displaced populations is promoted as well.
Armenian Red Cross Society employee distributing food and non-food items © ARCS
In terms of prevention and response to SGBV, the Project has conducted proper and timely identification of SGBV cases and organized effective response for refugee survivors of SGBV. The Project focuses on SGBV case management and psychological support, immediate (24 and 48 hour) and longer-term referrals to other organizations for material and shelter assistance when appropriate, and promotion of self-reliance among SGBV survivors. The Project conducts comprehensive awareness raising and capacity building activities targeting relevant groups of asylum-seekers and refugees, government authorities and civil society representatives and youth. Child protection activities are aimed at capacitating the relevant state and NGO staff in regard to child protection cases and provision of comprehensive case management with prioritization of mainstreaming.
Mission Armenia NGO
Project title: Realizing basic rights of refugees and asylum seekers in safe and favorable protection environments in Armenia.
This project offers real-life strategies for the protection, inclusion, empowerment, and mainstreaming of around 4,200 refugees, asylum-seekers, persons in refugee-like situation and other displaced populations, as well as stateless persons and people at the risk of statelessness in Armenia. The overreaching goal of the project is to ensure that these persons are fully integrated into the existing national services, support systems, and the life overall.
The Project focuses on enforcing the basic rights of persons of concern to UNHCR, while securing safe environments and durable solutions to their multiple needs by adopting innovative solutions, among others.
The Project also focuses on promoting and facilitating local integration and mainstreaming. By offering a broad range of services, the Project seeks to ensure refugees’ protection and wellbeing in Armenia by securing qualified and effective legal aid and representation, improving living conditions for persons with specific needs, ensuring adequate health care , considerably raising their capacity for self-reliance and promoting integration and meaningful participation. The Project contributes towards enhancement of the protection environment through advocacy and awareness-raising activities. In addition, accommodation, basic humanitarian and psycho-social assistance are provides to extremely vulnerable refugees, asylum-seekers, persons in refugee-like situation and other displaced populations, as well as stateless persons.
Mission Armenia staff member in the process of distribution of humanitarian assistance © Mission Armenia
The key outcomes of the Project will ensure successful achievement of the overreaching goals to fully integrate the PoC into the host society. The consolidated database, referral mechanism and coordination through UNHCR will, thereby, link the Project with the activities of other UNHCR implementing and operational partners. By employing bold, comprehensive, and holistic strategies, the PoC transition and mainstreaming will be smoother and successful.
Response to NK displacement
On 27 September 2020, a large-scale armed conflict erupted along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh. On the same day Martial Law was declared in Armenia which is still in place at the time of planning. The hostilities continued until 9 November 2020 (despite three ceasefire agreements mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries), when an agreement was signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. Based on the agreement, several territories were passed to Azerbaijan, and in the rest of the regions Russian Peacekeeping contingent is located. The situation evolves on a daily basis and further security related considerations may apply based on the developments. As a result of the escalation of the NK conflict, approximately 90,000 displaced persons left NK for Armenia.
Mission Armenia NGO staff member distributes humanitarian assistance © Mission Armenia
Needs assessment conducted by Mission Armenia NGO © Mission Armenia
Community mobilization by Mission Armenia NGO © Mission Armenia
Ensuring health care services are accessible© Mission Armenia
KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation
The Hotline is operated by UNHCR’s partner – KASA Foundation, on weekdays from 11:00 to 18:00, and on weekends from 12:00 to 17:00. Four operators are on board who answer to calls/ general queries and perform Post-distribution monitoring (PDM).
Hotline is established to provide accessible and timely information to displaced people about activities, services and projects of UNHCR and its partners, as well as about procedures, structures and processes that affect them, so that they are able to make informed decisions and choices.
Most importantly, the Hotline serves as a complaint mechanism for UNHCR in Armenia. Additionally, the project contributes to UNHCR’s proactive efforts in seeking feedback from displaced people, including through post-distribution monitoring (PDM) of UNHCR all activities and assistance delivered by UNHCR and partners.
In addition, regular analysis of the requests coming to the Hotline allows to collect proxy data on protection trends and concerns to inform UNHCR programming and to ensure adequate and timely response. In doing so, the project ensures accountability to the affected populations and assists in the effective implementation of UNHCR’s projects in 2023.
Monthly snapshots on the Hotline operation can be accessed here.
