About 15 social services centers to operate in Armenia in 2012February 24, 2012 - 11:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian government shifts its social policy target from enhancing incomes of financially disadvantaged families to boosting their capacities, Prime Minister said. In his welcome speech to the forum on social-wellbeing of Armenian children and families in need, Tigran Sargsyan noted that introduction of integrated social services was announced a priority in 2011, with a strategy developed making first pilot projects feasible. “The policy aims to create offices providing integrated social services, with staff well-aware of all problems of the families in need,” he said. In this context, Armenian PM stressed that in the framework of the pilot project needy families will receive targeted government assistance. He named unemployment and problem of access to education as the key factors that generate poverty, underscoring the need for government to provide able-bodied family members with jobs instead of increasing their dependence on state assistance. “The government assistance should also target enhancement of education opportunities,” the PM said, dwelling on a solution to the second problem. “The worst practice is when children are deprived from families, growing up in orphanages,” he said, naming children as the third area of activity government should target. RA Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Artur Grigoryan, in turn, noted that about 15 centers providing integrated services will operate already by the end of 2012. Their operation model is currently being developed jointly with the World Bank, projects are being worked out. The forum was organized by RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of Territorial Administration through support of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. |