1. Brief description of the emergency and impact
Since the eruption of the ongoing Syrian conflict millions of people were forced out of Syria. More than 20,000 Syrian refugees came to Armenia. The vast majority of them are of Armenian descendants (the figure announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs E. Nalbandyan in the EU meeting). UNHCR, Armenia gives the figure of 16,623 refugees, asylum-seekers and persons in a refugee-like situation by country of origin reported. Arrivals are ongoing. Only in 2015 and 2016, 3500 people (450 families) fled from Syria to Armenia. Some people come without any documents and means for survival.
2. Why is an ACT response needed?
The information reported from the Armenian government so far indicates that currently about 10,000 Syrian refugees are registered as vulnerable and in need of humanitarian assistance. Besides the existing socio-economic difficulties in the country and continuous recession, Armenia faces an escalating armed conflict with Azerbaijan. Having limited protection and response capacity to absorb newcomers and cater for their needs, Armenia offers several protection measures including simplified naturalization for 15,000 Syrian refugees. Armenia also accelerated asylum procedures and facilitated short, mid and long-term residence permits that create great problems for the refugees as they are deprived from any social assistance from the state.
Based on the information by local and international organizations, and several meetings organized by the ACT Armenia Forum, Syrian refugees residing in Armenia require shelter, employment, education, health and psychosocial support.
Because of the current hardships many of them have physical and mental disorders. Considering the urgent needs of Syrian refugees the ACT Armenia forum would like to provide humanitarian assistance to affected populations to address the needs of the 100 most vulnerable families by providing shelter, employment opportunities and psychosocial support to the affected population.