YEREVAN. - The main obstacle for the mentally challenged people in Armenia continues to remain the society’s negative treatment. 

President of “We Can”NGO, Armine Sahakyan, told the aforementioned to Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent.

“It is mainly the treatment of the citizens that brings about other obstacles. It is because of this treatment that parents avoid taking their children to public venues, this resulting in their isolation from the society,” Sahakyan said.

According to her, the NGOs dealing with the rights of mentally challenged citizens are having meetings with pupils in Armenian schools, talk with them and try to break the stereotypes regarding the mentally challenged.  

“We talk to pupils, show them the handicraft of the mentally challenged, but still this isn’t an issue to be solved in a day. The work must start from kindergartens, and then the circle include schools and universities unless the desired day comes when the mentally challenged people are accepted as fully-fledged persons of the society and are even able to have a job.” she said.

Sahakyan also noted that Yerevan is one of the cities, which is not very much adjusted to persons with disabilities, the visually impaired as well as those with hearing problems.