Official Statement

Dear friends and dearest children,

Save the Children works in over 120 countries implementing humanitarian and development programmes, that contribute to the fulfillment of children’s basic rights. In Armenia, Save the Children established its presence in 1993. Since then, more than Euro 62,000,000 has been invested in the spheres of child protection, education, health and social protection. According to the decision of Save the Children headquarters, our organization will terminate its operations in Armenia as of July 31, 2020.

Indeed, as a team, we experience controversial feelings: on one hand, child rights protection is an obviously unending process, on the other hand, we are delighted to note that there is a solid civil society in Armenia that has the capacity to continue the activities headed for child rights protection, also owing to our efforts towards enhancing the capacities of around 50 local partner-organizations. Moreover, apparent pre-conditions have emerged in Armenia towards the reforms in public administration, particularly in child rights protection and related fields, and the term “child’s best interest” has gained an important spot on the public agenda.

Our website will be available till December 31, 2020, and will be deactivated afterwards. Our publications, manuals and guides will be posted in Save the Children’s Resource Center, and in the online library of Child protection Network Armenia.

Eglantyne Jebb, the founder of Save the Children Fund, once said: “Humanity owes the child the best it has to give”. We believe that state authorities and civil society actors will persist in upholding the activities that preserve child’s best interest in the spotlight. On our behalf, we would like to assure that our team of experts in any capacity will continue contributing to advancement of Armenia as of a child-centered country, where every child matters and no child is left behind.

Sincerely,

Save the Children in Armenia Team