Birth rate stabilizes in Armenia
YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. The number of families in Armenia with five or more children has grown by about 40% over the past five years, according to Anahit Galstyan, head of a department at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, in charge of pensions and other social payments.
Speaking at a press conference today she said the downward birthrate trend has stabilized in recent years at the level of 36,000 births a year. The highest birth rate in Armenia was recorded in 1985-1986, when 80,000-81,000 babies were born each year.
Galstyan specified that although the number of newborns remains stable, the number of first and second births is decreasing, while the number of families who have 3rd, 4th and 5th child is growing.
"As a percentage, the number of 5 or more children in the family has increased by about 40% over the past 5 years," she stressed.
In this regard, Galstyan said Armenian families should be encouraged to have the first and second births.
She recalled that one time maternity allowance for non-working women in 2019 was 126,645 drams, growing to 156,645 drams in 2022, and to 172,697 drams in 2023.
Mher Manukyan, Public Affairs Coordinator at the UN Population Fund's Armenia Office, said families in Armenia often want to have 3 children, but end up with 1-2 because of a string of several obstacles, mostly social.
He also said that the overall life expectancy will grow in Armenia and that of women by 7 years. Manukyan also noted another important global trend changing the structure of families.
"Armenia is among a number of countries where the family is the predominant format, but we have also begun to see some changes, especially in terms of the growing number of single mothers," he said.
According to the National Statistical Committee, Armenia's birth rate increased by 7.8% in January-March 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. -0-
