From 11 to 13 October 2023, the Council of Europe is preparing a complex set of measures to respond to the influx of refugees into Armenia following the visit of Special Representative for Migration and Refugees Leila Kayajic. The information was published on the official website of the Council of Europe.

This program aims to help Armenia resolve the problems linked to the reception of 100,000 Armenians, including 30,000 children, displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in recent weeks. During the visit to Armenia, the Migration and Refugee Service cooperated with relevant state agencies, international partners and non-governmental organizations. Leila Kayajik visited two shelters in the municipality of Artashat.

He outlined the areas of support included in the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia (2023-2026) and the Action Plan for the protection of vulnerable people in the context of migration and asylum (2021-2025).

These areas include strengthening the protection of the human rights of refugees in vulnerable situations, with direct support from the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, in particular on vulnerability assessments, access to services and awareness of refugee rights. , including access to health and mental health care, psychological support, capacity building of professionals working with vulnerable groups, ensuring inclusive education and reviewing professional training programs, protection of the rights of the child, increasing the vitality of local self-government bodies.

“Through this set of targeted measures, we will support our Member State, Armenia, and its people in the face of unprecedented difficulties and challenges,” stressed Maria Pejcinovich-Burich, Secretary General of the EC.