Why are Armenian orphanages filled with children who have one or two living parents? A brief history of Armenia...

The Republic of Armenia is a mountainous country bordered by western Asia, between the Black and the Caspian seas. It borders with Iran to the south-east, Azerbaijan to the east, Turkey to the south-west and west, and Georgia to the north. Around three million people live in Armenia, with the capital city of Yerevan being home to about one million inhabitants.

The Armenians have a long ancient history like the other civilizations that originated in this region.  It is a history with many kings and queens, battles over territory and religion, changing powers and a very rich culure of art, literature, dance and music. 

Currently, Armenians are probably most known in world politics for their efforts to get Turkey to recognize the genocide.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Young Turks, under the Ottoman Empire, massacred the Armenians and other Christian people (Syriacs and Greek Orthodox) living in what is now southern Turkey.  From 1915-1923, nearly 2 million Christians were killed and over 500,000 became refugees in neighboring countries.  Turkey has yet to admit that the genocide even occurred and Turkish children will not even find these events in their history books.  The border between Turkey and Armenia is completely closed which hurts Armenia economically. 

The small country that is now Armenia is only a tiny fraction of the old Armenian empire.  After the genocide, little Armenia was under Russian control and then a part of the Soviet Union.

With the break of the Soviet Union, Armenia became an officially recognized independent nation in 1991. The years that followed independence from the Soviet Union were difficult: Armenia faced economic instability and took part in violent confrontations with Azerbaijan. A ceasefire was reached in 1994 but by that time around 30,000 people had been killed and one million displaced.  In addition, Armenia experienced a devastating earthquake in its northern region in 1988 which killed around 25,000 people and made half a million homeless.

Armenia’s complex diplomatic relations with its neighbors Turkey and Azerbaijan had a negative impact on the country’s economic development, and therefore on the lives of ordinary Armenians. Reports from international organizations state that: 28 per cent of the population lives with less than two US dollars a day and 23 per cent of the inhabitants are undernourished. The unemployment rate stands at seven per cent.

Prior to 1991 Armenia’s economy was primarily industry-based. After independence, the agricultural share of the economy increased, employing nearly half of the population. The service industry has become increasingly important; 15 per cent of the population works in this sector.

People in rural areas are disadvantaged due to poor infrastructure and less employment opportunities. Improved water and sanitation is not always available in rural areas and the quality of health care in rural areas remains poor. Children living in rural areas are nearly twice as likely to die under the age of five, than those in urban areas. As a result of migration to urban areas or abroad, some rural areas are facing depopulation.

Armenia suffered from a decline in its population after 1990 due to the emigration of people in search of a higher standard of living. Cash remittances sent back home from Armenians working abroad have always been an important part of Armenia’s gross domestic product.

Children under the age of 14 account for nearly a third of the population of Armenia; four per cent are involved in child labor.  Family life has changed due to the recent social, economic and political changes. Many parents, especially fathers, have emigrated in search of employment.

Health and education continue to be under-funded. The government has made the improvement of education a priority. Regarding health: mothers and children, particularly in rural areas, have difficulties accessing high quality health care.

Families are not given the support they need to be able to stay together. As a result, the majority of children who are taken into care are the so-called “social orphans” who have one or two living parents. They are often taken into institutions due to poverty, or issues related to it. Most continue to be placed in orphanages, some of which have existed since the Soviet era. Children growing up in these settings are often stigmatized and their future development is therefore limited. Alternative care settings are particularly limited for disabled children.