Yesterday a very important decision was made during the government session. 4 boarding schools and 1 orphanage in Armenia were liquidated. I am glad to meet you today, because at the heart of this deinstitutionalization process is an idea that unites the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia and the SOS Children's Villages Foundation; that is, the exercise of the child's right to live in the family.

It is important and valuable for us the experience that NGOs have accumulated these years, as they have been closer to the beneficiaries than the state. Zaruhi Batoyan, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, said this at her meeting with a delegation from the said foundation.

The minister said that the process of liquidation of special institutions started years ago, but its logic has changed.

"We realize that this is a complicated process, but we also know that this is a change that has no alternative," she added.

Daniel Barroy, Chairman of SOS Children's Villages France, noted that the Foundation fully supports the Armenian government's approach to deinstitutionalization and supports the steps taken in this direction.

He said that the cooperation between the two parties has already been established on a more institutional basis after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, and they are pleased to see that Armenia is committed to this difficult path of reform.

The parties discussed opportunities for further cooperation and exchange of experience.