February 1, 2024

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Armenia

Since 1992, UNHCR in close coordination with the Government of Armenia, assists refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless people in Armenia with targeted support and assistance, including legal aid, cash assistance, psycho-social support, livelihood interventions, case management and referrals.

115,183 refugees have fled Karabakh in late-September 2023, seeking safety in Armenia. UNHCR expanded its presence and operational capacity to strengthen its support to the Government-led refugee response and coordination, provide urgently needed assistance, and pave the pathways for access to social and economic opportunities.

UNHCR Armenia has assisted the Government of Armenia with coordination, response delivery, and protection-related issues. The assistance aimed to support and strengthen the work of the Migration and Citizenship Service (MCS), Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA), and Ministry of Justice.

UNHCR POPULATION STATISTICS (as of mid-2023)

Refugees: 34,768

Asylum-seekers: 655

Stateless people: 531

Top three countries of origin

Refugees

Azerbaijan: 27,899

Syrian Arab Republic: 4896

Iraq: 1,146

Asylum-seekers

Iraq: 204

Islamic Republic of Iran: 142

Ukraine: 70

HIGHLIGHTS

In September 2023, over 100,000 refugees from Karabakh arrived in Armenia, accounting for around 3 per cent of the total population. Despite the compounding crisis affecting the country, the Government of Armenia granted refugees from Karabakh access to a wide range of services and rights.

Coordination: From the onset of the crisis, the Government of Armenia and UNHCR established an inter-agency Refugee Coordination Forum (RCF) and issued Inter-Agency Refugee Response Plan (Oct 2023 - Mar 2024). The Government and partners continue participating in the coordination forum.

Response: UNHCR scaled up its operation to respond to the urgent lifesaving needs of refugees and facilitate the coordination of the humanitarian response together with the Government. So far, 5,500 individuals were supported with cash assistance, 6,724 households (29,818 individuals) reached through core relief items, 2,291 households (10,473 individuals) reached through protection interventions, and 4134 individuals reached through helpline.

UPDATE ON THE GLOBAL REFUGEE FORUM (GRF)

6 pledges registered for Armenia during the second GRF in 2023, in the areas of education, health, women empowerment, livelihood, social protection, and housing

Multi-stakeholder UNHCR is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to leverage complementary strengths of multi-stakeholders to support the implementation of the pledges.

Localisation UNHCR works with refugee-led and community-based organisations to strengthen local humanitarian efforts and engage with them as equal partners, including through funding opportunities.

Key Priorities

• Coordination and Refugee Response: UNHCR supports government-led efforts through RCF by ensuring coordinated assistance to refugees and facilitating their socio-economic inclusion.
• Advocacy: UNHCR engages with relevant authorities and actors to address key issues impacting refugees’ and asylum-seekers’ access to rights, including access to territory and asylum procedures, to catalyse legal and policy reforms.
• Protection: UNHCR utilizes its dedicated helpline and field presence to identify people in need and make referrals for specialised services in a timely manner.
• Legal aid: UNHCR in collaboration with state-funded legal aid service ensures that refugees and asylum seekers have access to legal aid.
• Community empowerment and self-reliance: UNHCR maintains direct and regular communication with refugee led and grassroot organizations to support and reinforce their role as frontline service providers and advocacy actors.
• Person with specific needs: Through referrals to specialized partners, UNHCR connects vulnerable refugees and those most at risk, including, survivors of GBV, unaccompanied and separated children, older persons, and persons with disabilities, with relevant support services and national social protection system to benefit from existing safety nets.
• Inclusion: UNHCR through advocacy, engagement, and capacity building works to enhance refugees’ access to housing, labour market, education, and language training.
• Cash assistance: UNHCR complements the Government’s efforts and provides cash assistance to refugees and asylum seekers in the form of Multi-Purpose Cash (MPC) assistance to address their basic needs and protection concerns
• Institutional strengthening: UNHCR targets social workers, the Government, NGO partners, academy, judiciary, lawyers, law students, and border guards with capacity building trainings on access to the territory, fair and efficient asylum procedures, rights, and responsibilities of refugees.
• Implementing partners: UNHCR implements protection interventions directly and through its partners, including Mission Armenia, Armenian Red Cross Society, Chamber of Advocates, KASA Foundation, and People in Need.
• Development partners: UNHCR works with development actors in the country, including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, GIZ, Asian Development Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to better facilitate the transition from humanitarian to development response.
• Operational partners: In addition, UNHCR works with a range of international and local agencies as well as refugee-led organizations, such as Ukrainian Forum; community-based organizations such as Armavir Development Centre and Young Tavush; faith-based organizations such as Armenian Caritas and World Vision; diaspora-based organizations, including AGBU and Fund for Armenian Relief. UNHCR also works with local and international educational institutions such as TUMO, Teach for Armenia, UWC Dilijan College, and Yerevan State University.

Statelessness

• Armenia has acceded to both the 1954 and 1961 UN Conventions on Statelessness.
• UNHCR has been working with the Government to establish statelessness determination procedure. A draft law on stateless persons is currently being prepared by MCS in cooperation with UNHCR.

UNHCR Presence in Armenia

Staff:

• 28 National Staff
• 12 International Staff
• 1 National UNV
• 1 International UNV
• 2 Service

Offices:

• 1 Country Office in Yerevan
• 1 Fielf Office in Goris