Improving Access to Social Rights in Karakert
Karakert, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / ASTP-PADCO
On Friday I visited the village of Karakert with the Armenia Social Transition Program (ASTP)-PADCO. The village situated in the Armavir region has been chosen as a pilot site for a rural development program by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) supported by international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
From May through July, however, ASTP-PADCO in cooperation with COAF and the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues assisted 100 residents of Karakert to apply for new passports and social security cards. The latter are now necessary for anyone seeking employment in the Republic of Armenia and to apply for and receive social benefits.
The ASTP organized the changing of passports from the old Soviet type to the new Armenian passports for the most vulnerable people in Karakert village. Almost 100 inhabitants of the village were involved in this project: they have been photographed; applications for passports and Social Security Card applications were completed and processed. As a result of this project already 90 citizens have received passports of the Republic of Armenia and Social Security Cards.
More information can be found on the PADCO web site and for background information on the pilot project in Karakert, the COAF web site. John Hughes, who also does some freelance work for COAF, recently wrote an article on their project for Armenia Now.
Hripsime Martirossian, ASTP-PADCO Consultant, Karakert, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / ASTP-PADCO
