UNDP’s Response to Refugee Crisis in Armenia

Overall objective

Strengthening national capacities for enhanced resilience and greater opportunities for refugees and host communities to overcome current and emerging challenges in Armenia.

THE FOUR PILLARS 

1. Emergency response and stabilization

• Emergency shelter for the most vulnerable 
• Emergency social infrastructure - water, waste, energy, healthcare
• Winterization assistance through green energy solutions 
• Psycho-social support to refugees and host communities

2. Sustaining core government functions and services

• Durable housing solutions for refugees
• Strengthening the capacity of regional and municipal authorities
• Rule of law, human rights and access to justice
• Digital transformation
• Effective legislature and policy-making
• Data driven and evidence-based policy-making
• Administrative and social services at all levels
• Disaster preparedness and response
• Humanitarian mine-action

3. Inclusive, equitable and green economic growth

• Livelihoods, jobs, entrepreneurship
• Sustaining basic infrastructure for MSMEs
• Access to business development services
• Reskilling and upskilling the labor force, income generation
• Startup-ecosystem for youth
• Green transformation

• Urban and rural development

   

4. Social cohesion

• Enhancing national dialogue and trust
• Supporting national and local authorities to address tensions 
• Integration of refugees and supporting host communities
• Countering misinformation, disinformation and hate speech
• Supporting strategic communication
• Civic engagement and civil society empowerment
• Agency of youth, women and people living with disabilities

Achieved results so far

• UNDP enhanced the resilience and livelihoods of over 18,000 refugees and host community members by creating income-generating opportunities, improving infrastructure, and expanding access to essential services, including primary healthcare.
• Over 8,000 people benefited from alternative energy solutions, with 336 solar water heaters and 55 solar panels installed across more than 30 settlements, including social infrastructure buildings.
• Nearly 1,000 refugees and host community members, with over half being women, secured decent jobs and enhanced their employability through on-the-job training and entrepreneurship programs.
• 4 shelters were renovated and refurbished, offering quality accommodation to approximately 200 refugees.
• UNDP supported legislative and executive bodies in adopting 10 initiatives focused on access to pensions, state registration, combating hate speech and discrimination, and addressing the unique needs of refugees, including youth. 
• Over 350 refugees have already benefited from free legal aid for various types of needs. 
• Over 4,400 refugees gained a better understanding of local democracy. 
• Over 400 refugees received psychosocial support.
• Nearly 1,500 council members and municipal staff, 53% of whom were women, received training to better meet the needs of diverse populations, including refugees.
• 5 new municipal services - covering transportation, water supply, trade improvements, extracurricular activities, and public space enhancement - were co-designed with refugees, host communities, and local authorities, improving service access for nearly 4,000 refugees.