Written By: Gary Shirikchian; 2024 ANCA-WR Summer Intern

Los Angeles, California – August 19 marks World Humanitarian Day, a day during which the world recognizes humanitarian crises across the globe and honors the heroes who sacrifice their lives in their pursuit to provide widespread humanitarian assistance. This year’s theme is centered around the urgency to place an immediate end to the prevalence of attacks and human rights violations against civilians and humanitarian aid workers. In light of this bittersweet day of remembrance, the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) remains steadfast in its calls for urgent attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Armenia. This comes as a consequence of the dissolution of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, following the nine-month-long Azerbaijani military-backed genocidal blockade of the region, resulting in the forceful expulsion of over 115,000 civilian refugees into the Republic of Armenia. 

Since the influx of refugees in the country, the Republic of Armenia has implemented programs that target the most immediate needs of the refugees it currently hosts. Such provisional monetary aid programs are essential in ensuring that the vulnerable ethnic Armenian population of refugees – from the now-dissolved Nagorno-Karabakh Republic – are provided with adequate living circumstances and are granted their rights as refugees.

The Armenian Government has centered much of its efforts on funding housing opportunities for its refugees. For example, one of its ongoing measures has been the implementation of a 40 + 10 thousand AMD (100 + 26 USD) monthly aid program that provides funds to assist in covering housing expenses and utility costs. Families who were displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh after 2020 and whose information is still present on lists from the Operational Headquarters as of September 19, 2023, are eligible for aid; however, individuals who have already been recipients of aid during the government’s 2022 housing program do not qualify for benefits, as well as those currently housed with the support of the state. To qualify for the full 50 thousand AMD monthly aid package, however, an individual must not be the sole owner of any property. Still, they may own part of a piece of real estate intended for residence under shared or common joint ownership, with their share corresponding to less than 20 square meters. Beneficiaries who do not qualify for full compensation will be granted 10 thousand AMD monthly. From October 2023 to March 2024 the program cost the Armenian Government approximately 27 billion AMD (70.5 million USD), and it has been extended until December 2024.

The Armenian Government has also implemented a two-time 50 thousand AMD (130 USD) aid package for all individuals forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh on September 24 and after. The payments were made in November and December 2023, amounting to a total compensation of 100 thousand AMD (260 USD) for each beneficiary. This government aid program aimed to provide funds for refugees’ primary consumer expenses. The Armenian Government allocated 10,833,600,000 AMD (27.9 million USD) to fund this aid program.

Educational opportunities have also been a concern of the Armenian Government with the influx of refugees. During the 2023/2024 academic school year, over 17 thousand refugee students were enrolled in schools. To honor individuals’ educational achievements and qualifications when they used to reside in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Government also planned a program to reissue diplomas and certificates to those who have graduated from educational institutions in Nagorno-Karabakh. Finally, to create more accessible higher education opportunities for refugees, the Armenian Government has stated that it will allocate scholarships for tuition fees for selected refugee college and university students.

In future steps, it is vital for the Armenian Government to actively promote opportunities in the workforce for its refugees. This is an essential step for the retention of these individuals over the next few years, as losing this population poses a threat to the survivability of the cultural and linguistic nuances found in the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Additionally, losing this group would strip away the potential long-term economic, social, and financial opportunities that such individuals can contribute to the Republic of Armenia. As of April 2024, 16,300 forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh started working in the Republic of Armenia, and 1,065 people operate as private entrepreneurs or are registered as founders of a company.

Monetary and humanitarian assistance for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees has also come from international actors and organizations. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the Armenia Refugee Relief Plan in October 2023, in which it requested $97 million USD; the plan takes into account various safety, education, food security, health, and shelter needs through the means of employing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that specialize in such areas of humanitarian assistance. As of March 2024, 52% of this goal ($50,440,000 USD) had been achieved. The European Union has also contributed to the humanitarian effort with a $19 million USD contribution to efforts aimed at providing food security, hygiene products, multi-purpose cash assistance, shelter, education, health and psychosocial support, medical equipment, and other urgent assistance. Of the individual countries that have provided humanitarian support, France and the United States have been the largest contributors. France has contributed over $31.5 million USD while the United States has provided $15.5 million USD to fund relief efforts.

Although the Nagorno-Karabakh refugee crisis is reaching its one year mark, the road to providing stability for the thousands of still vulnerable refugees is far from complete. The ANCA-WR urges the Armenian Government to continue to take proactive measures that will maximize the long-term well-being of its refugees in the hopes that through these steps they will live as contributing citizens for the Republic of Armenia. International actors and proponents of human rights preservation across the globe – especially the United States of America where the largest Armenian diaspora population exists – must increase their funding and provide a proportional response relative to the various humanitarian crises that they have led aid efforts in the past.