UNICEF voices concern over child poverty in Armenia

UNICEF voiced its concern today over high child poverty rates in Armenia, immediately after the National Statistical Service of Armenia published the results of the 2009 Integrated Living Conditions Survey, according to a press release by UNICEF in Armenia.

In 2009, 38.1% of children in Armenia were poor, while 4.5% were extremely poor, according to the survey results.

“The new data on child poverty is extremely worrisome. It is obvious that the economic and financial crisis hit children the hardest. The current situation is fraught with long-term consequences both for children as they may be ripped of some of their basic rights and the country’s overall development,” UNICEF representative Laylee Moshiri said.

The survey once again confirmed that children with disabilities are the most marginalized and deprived group within the child population in Armenia. Out of the total number of children with disabilities in Armenia, 70% are poor and 13%t are extremely poor.

According to the survey, the highest percent of extremely poor children is in Lori region – 9% of the province’s child population, whereas the highest overall child poverty rate is observed in Shirak region, where more than 50% of children are poor.

Family benefits remain crucial for extremely poor families and without them the percent of extremely poor children would have doubled, growing from 4.5% to 9.1%. Unlike family benefits, child benefits do not have any significant impact on the overall child poverty rates as few families receive this type of benefit.

“For children poverty means risks for malnutrition, overall development and deprivation of basic conditions for child well-being. Therefore, tackling child poverty is not something that can wait until fiscal circumstances are seen as accommodating. Re-orienting social protection expenditure towards more efficient models may mitigate devastating effects of poverty on children and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty that threatens human development and economic growth,” Moshiri said.