Boosting Social Protection in Armenia
On February 8, 2008, USAID/Armenia’s Social Protection Systems Strengthening (SPSS) Project hosted an open house to mark its first year of successful work in Armenia.
SPSS is a multifaceted project designed to improve social-insurance delivery, introduce job-market reforms and occupational safety standards, and reduce vulnerable citizens’ dependence on public support. The five-year project focuses on strengthening existing social protection systems, enhancing the Armenian Government’s institutional capacities and boosting the capacities of social-service NGOs.
By supporting core social sector reforms in Armenia, the project aims to facilitate transition to self-reliance and sustainability and to reduce citizens’ dependence on public support for their basic needs. “As we celebrate our first anniversary in Armenia, we are extremely pleased with and thankful for not only the immediate impact of our programs, but also the high level of collaborative support shown by the Armenian Government and the public,” said Amy Ramm, SPSS Project Chief of Party.
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| Amy Ramm, SPSS Project Chief of Party, Ann Hirschey, Director of USAID/Armenia Social Reform Office, and Volodymyr Yatsenko, USAID/Armenia Social Sector Advisor at the open house reception. |
The project’s accomplishments have been made possible through sound collaboration with Armenian government counterparts, including: the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues (MLSI), Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, and Pension System Reform Working Group. Significant activities were also undertaken with the support of the State Employment Service Agency, State Labor Inspectorate, Nork Information-Analytical Center, Socio-Medical Examination Committee, and National Institute for Labor and Social Research, as well as many civil society and NGO partners.
With the support of government counterparts, the first year of the project was marked by a number of milestones, including the development of a pension-system reform statistical model; conduct of extensive labor-market research, analysis, and promotion; production of the most inclusive job fair in Yerevan to date, with participation of 12 host partners, 96 employers and over 5,000 job seekers; increased awareness and development of coordinated occupational-safety and health norms; and, introduction of a sustainable mechanism for government social contracting. As a result of the latter achievement, five local NGOs were contracted to provide day care for disabled people in Yerevan and two regions in 2008.
Project achievements are further detailed in the first issue of “SPSS Milestones” – the project’s annual bulletin released this week, as well as on SPSS website at www.spss.am.
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