Support to Migration Policy Development and Relevant Capacity Building in Armenia was a three-year project implemented by the British Council from January 2007, in partnership with the International Centre for Human Development and the Migration Agency under the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration. The project was funded by the European Union.
The aim of this project was
 |
 |
|
Preventing illegal migration |
|
|
|
Assisting in the increase of the efficiency of the processes of return and reintegration |
|
|
|
Bringing the migration policy and legislation in conformity with the universally recognized norms and principles of the migration law |
The necessity of implementation of such a programme was conditioned by two reasons. Firstly, it should be stated that since the independence of the Republic of Armenia migration of the population has been continued, though in small volumes. Assessments of the specialists suggest that the number of population emigrated from the Republic totals approximately one million persons. Such an emigration poses a number of issues and questions for the state, as well as the society, and urges that immediate effective steps be taken for improvement of the current situation, elimination of social, economic and legal reasons behind emigration and providing positive impact on the consequences of that phenomenon.
Secondly, growth in the number of those returning to the country as compared to those leaving the country is recorded; hence, it is necessary to promote a relatively positive trend of migration flows and to make it a stable process.
Support to Migration Policy Development and Relevant Capacity Building in Armenia programme had three components supplementing each other:
|
 |
|
Nowadays many of the RA citizens having an intention to leave for abroad are unaware of the problems resulting from irregular migration and the consequences thereof. RA citizens already emigrated from Armenia, in their turn, are not aware of the opportunities available in Armenia and the assistance that they can receive from the state. To fill this gap, short films, talk-shows and TV debates dedicated to migration issues were shot and aired within the framework of the Programme. |
|
|
|
Many migrants have obvious shortage of information on one or another question re their possible return. The main questions relate to documentation, employment, social assistance, health services, educational problems and military service.
Since the scope of potential questions is too wide, and the geography of the countries that have received our citizens is too widely extended, it is impossible to find solution on the spot to the questions that are brought up or are being brought up. That is why within the framework of the second component of the Programme, Center of Assistance to migrants was established at the RA MA MTA, wherefrom people that have left Armenia, being scattered all over the world, are able to get complete information on any problem re migration; via internet portal, direct network communication and telephone hot line the migrants get appropriate exhaustive answers to any question that they are interested in. The Center has a direct link with other RA state government bodies; hence, responses to any “non-standard” problems brought up by the migrants are given after consultation with competent institutions. |
|
|
|
Nowadays it is necessary to elaborate an appropriate migration policy that will be consistent with the principles of the international law and attributable to Armenian migration realities. With the view of the latter, it is necessary to evolve dialogue between different decision making authorities in Armenia and interested institutions of the civil society.
For that very purpose, round tables and business discussions were regularly organized with participation of the representatives of public and non-public sectors and international and local experts. The most sensitive issues and problems were put under discussion; draft legal acts, policy briefs of the discussions on the policy and expertise analysis were elaborated, etc. |
For more information about the Support to Migration Policy Development and Relevant Capacity Building in Armenia project, please contact Programmes Manager Narek Tovmasyan.
|
