Armenia’s population continues to dwindle, UNFPA representative says
17.10.2018,
16:11
In the first half of 2018 Armenia’s population dwindled by another 10,000 people, when compared to the same period in 2017, Anna Hovhannisyan, a representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Armenia, said today.
YEREVAN, October 17 /ARKA/. In the first half of 2018 Armenia’s population dwindled by another 10,000 people, when compared to the same period in 2017, Anna Hovhannisyan, a representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Armenia, said today.
According to her, on July 1, 2017, Armenia’s population stood at 2,979,900 people, falling to 2,969,800 people as of July 1, 2018.
According to an annual UNFPA report titled ‘Population of the World,’ the main reasons for the population decline, including in Armenia, are low birth rates, migration and emigration.
Speaking at a news conference today Hovhannisyan said the number of births in Armenia in the reporting period decreased by 1,000, from 17,170 in the first half of 2017 to 16,189 in the first half of this year.
She also said the Armenian government’s latest decision to increase one-time benefits paid to the parents of the child have no strong influence on the birth rate.
Earlier this year the Armenian government decided to triple the one-time payments to the parents for the birth of second child, saying the move was prompted by the worsening demographic situation. ‘
"World practice shows that increased benefits to parents do not affect noticeably the birth rate. Instead, governments should strengthen the role of women. A woman should herself decide when and how many children she wants and she should be able to combine work and family,’ said Hovhannisyan.
She also attached importance to ensuring the competitiveness of women in the labor market after the birth of child and increasing the working hours of kindergartens, which often close before the working day of their parents is over.
Regarding the measures that the government can take to help women with children who choose to work, Hovhannisyan named parental leave, including for fathers as well and full social security for mothers who work part time.
The executive representative of the UN Population Fund, Tsovinar Harutyunyan, in turn, noted that in order to have population growth, the total fertility rate should be 2.1 children per woman and higher, whereas in Armenia it is 1.6, the lowest in the region. -0-
According to her, on July 1, 2017, Armenia’s population stood at 2,979,900 people, falling to 2,969,800 people as of July 1, 2018.
According to an annual UNFPA report titled ‘Population of the World,’ the main reasons for the population decline, including in Armenia, are low birth rates, migration and emigration.
Speaking at a news conference today Hovhannisyan said the number of births in Armenia in the reporting period decreased by 1,000, from 17,170 in the first half of 2017 to 16,189 in the first half of this year.
She also said the Armenian government’s latest decision to increase one-time benefits paid to the parents of the child have no strong influence on the birth rate.
Earlier this year the Armenian government decided to triple the one-time payments to the parents for the birth of second child, saying the move was prompted by the worsening demographic situation. ‘
"World practice shows that increased benefits to parents do not affect noticeably the birth rate. Instead, governments should strengthen the role of women. A woman should herself decide when and how many children she wants and she should be able to combine work and family,’ said Hovhannisyan.
She also attached importance to ensuring the competitiveness of women in the labor market after the birth of child and increasing the working hours of kindergartens, which often close before the working day of their parents is over.
Regarding the measures that the government can take to help women with children who choose to work, Hovhannisyan named parental leave, including for fathers as well and full social security for mothers who work part time.
The executive representative of the UN Population Fund, Tsovinar Harutyunyan, in turn, noted that in order to have population growth, the total fertility rate should be 2.1 children per woman and higher, whereas in Armenia it is 1.6, the lowest in the region. -0-
