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YEREVAN. - On June 30, a symposium on the “Employment and building capacity of the disadvantaged and people with disabilities in the RA” was held in Yerevan, which aimed at discussing the results and achievements of “Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of the Poor and Vulnerable Persons in Armenia” project implemented by “Mission Armenia NGO”, funded by the Japan Social Development Foundation (JSDF), supported by the Government of RA and the World Bank.

Jemma Baghdasaryan, the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, H.E. Eiji Taguchi, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan in the RA,, Ms. Laura Bailey, the World Bank (WB) Country Manager for Armenia, as well as Ms. Marina Petrovic, Senior Social protection Specialist from the WB, Aleksandra Posarac, Lead Economist from the WB and ex-president of International Council on Social Welfare, leading international expert of the sector Solveig Askjem participated in the discussion.    

During the symposium, the goals and the issues of “Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of the Poor and Vulnerable Persons in Armenia” project, implemented activities under the project components and achievements were presented and summarized. Besides, key issues and their possible solutions on raising awareness concerning important social key problems of people with disabilities were discussed.

“I am happy that the representatives of state and local self-governing bodies, international and local organizations, sector experts and persons with disabilities are participating in the discussion. Together we are building a road leading to social inclusion, which demands will, potential, time and resources and which will enable people with disabilities to create and lead a worthy life,”  said the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Jemma Baghdasaryan, greeting the symposium participants.

“Mission Armenia” representative, “Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of the Poor and Vulnerable Persons in Armenia” project coordinator Sophie Nersisyan greeted the participants on behalf of “Mission Armenia” NGO president Hripsime Kirakosyan, expressing words of  appreciation and wishing them productive work.

“Our symposium is a great opportunity to share the results, appreciate the achievements of “Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of the Poor and Vulnerable Persons in Armenia” project, to highlight the reached benchmarks, as well as discuss the key issues,” she noted.

For her part, Sophy Nersisyan, expressed special thanks to the project initiators, state and private sector colleagues, project experts, as well as the professional team implementing the project for their dedicated and professional work.

In her speech Jemma Baghdasaryan also spoke about the key problems of people with disabilities in the RA.

“Social policy in the field of disability has been recognized as a priority by the RA Government. The Government has announced 2016 as a year of equal opportunity for people with disabilities. In 2016, it is planned to pass a law on “Protection of rights of persons with disabilities and social inclusion”, whose draft has been presented to the Government. It implies a clear definition of mechanisms for implementing the provisions in the relevant secondary legislation. I am convinced that social inclusion will be promoted due to the work that has been carried out and will be done in future,” noted Jemma Baghdasaryan.

According to the World Bank Country Manager for Armenia, Ms. Laura Bailey, this kind of support is really tangible; in order to assess the work done it is enough to speak with a person with disability. 

“Certainly, today we need to improve laws and allocate funds, but the most important thing is the comprehensive and constructive approach towards the evaluation and satisfaction of those persons’ needs,” said Ms. Laura Bailey, the World Bank Country Manager for Armenia.

Eiji Taguchi, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to the RA, noted that Japan highlights the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the society and public work, since it has a positive impact on economic liberalism.

The symposium was also attended the representatives of state, private and public sectors, donor organizations, media, colleagues, project beneficiaries, sector experts and researchers.

 

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