On 6 June, a meeting with experts from the “Protected Beneficiary Family and Informed Citizen” Project, members of “Local Democracy Development and Research Centre” NGO Gerasim Barseghyan, Shushan Ghahriyan and Ofelia Grigoryan with MP Narek Zeynalyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Health and Social Affairs, MP Viktor Yengibaryan, MP Nikolay Baghdasaryan, MP Lusine Badalyan, MP Sarkis Alexanyan and MP Srbuhi Grigoryan took place at the National Assembly. The project experts thoroughly presented the results of the survey entitled “Advocacy for Beneficiary Families and Beneficiaries’ Awareness”, which was implemented in the scope of the project.
Participants in the discussion highlighted the suggestions on research, the issues related to the employment of beneficiary families and the opportunities to have a permanent work. Everyone agreed that it was high time to implement systemic reforms in the system of benefits. The benefit system should be more flexible, motivating, fair and addressable. Only in this case it can serve to improve the social welfare of families and to overcome poverty.
The MPs highlighted the research data and noted that the conclusions and recommendations made in the analytical report will be used especially during the period of legislative changes in the sphere, during public discussions and parliamentary hearings. The NA deputies highly appreciated the discussion and expressed readiness to continue the cooperation in this direction.
The “Protected Beneficiary Family and Informed Citizen” project is implemented by the Local Democracy Development and Research Center NGO in the scope of the EU funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project implemented by a consortium of NGOs led by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association.
The objectives of the project are:
- assessment of the role of employers, social sector representatives in protecting the rights of beneficiary families, their members’ rights, and overcoming the problems related to the employment of beneficiary family members,
- elaboration of basic proposals to raise the awareness of beneficiary families’ interests and the rights of beneficiary citizens;
- elaboration of targeted proposals to improve the benefits system and presentation to relevant authorities.
