Gender Thematic Group extended meeting was launched on April 5 aiming at presenting the key findings and recommendations of a qualitative assessment among refugees in Armenia on vulnerability and safety issues. The assessment was initiated by UNFPA.
The assessment focuses on GBV trends and risks among refugee population in Armenia, following the influx of over 100,000 people from Karabakh to Armenia in September 2023. 142 respondents that are service providers, refuge women and refugee adolescent girls were interviewed from Yerevan and across Armenia. Based on the collected information the key needs and gaps were mapped and presented.
During the GTG meeting, co-chairs Lusine Sargsyan, OIC Head of UNFPA Armenia CO, Sophie Bostanchyan, Head of Department of human trafficking and women's issues at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the RA, and Bruno Montariol, International Aid/Cooperation Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, provided opening remarks.
"As Armenia transitions from purely humanitarian response programs to development initiatives, we decided to open the GBV assessment key findings and recommendations to a broader range of stakeholders and present these findings also during the extended GTG meeting," mentioned Lusine Sargsyan, adding, "We anticipate that future projects implemented by the State authorities and other stakeholders will consider the key revealed needs and recommendations raised by the assessment, which will help effectively address the primary needs of refugee women and girls."
GBV assesment key findings and recommendations were presented by UNFPA GBV in Emergencies Specialist, Mia Kisic.
Stakeholders from the State, international and CSO fields across Armenia participated in the event.
The assessment formulated a set of recommendations for key stakeholders in order to address the issues and needs identified by the respondents. The developed recommendations are aiming to improve not only emergency response, but also the critical nexus and development interventions targeting refugee population.
The recommendations were referred to the tree main group of stakeholders: GBV service providers, non-GBV refugee responders and donors.
The full assessment can be accessed via this link.