On guard against child labour in Armenia

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

No one knows how many children work on Armenia’s streets every day. Although official statistics are elusive, the effects and impacts are easy to see. All one needs to do is walk along the streets or check the absence record at a local school to prove the fact that such child labour does exist and is a problem in the country. World Vision tackles the issue through social workers employed in the communities.

No one knows how many children work on Armenia’s streets every day. Although official statistics are elusive, the effects and impacts are easy to see. All one needs to do is walk along the streets or check the absence record at a local school to provethe fact that such child labour does exist and is a problem in the country.

In rural areas, children are mostly involved in land-cultivation or animal breeding. In urban areas, however, minors are occupied in construction areas, sales and service provision. Others, especially the younger ones can be seen begging in the streets—a fate that finds and traps too many children in Armenia.

After Narek’s father left for Russia in search of employment opportunities, his mother disappeared, leaving the 10-year-old Narek in the care of his 75-year-old grandmother, who was already suffering from severe mental degradation. Unable to support herself, she survived by begging. Inevitably, Narek was also involved in the ‘business’—forcing him to drop out of school and discontinue his education.

“I was out in the streets all day long, and as I was earning money. I had no time for the school,” remembers Narek.

Narek’s progression from student, to beggar, to out of school is natural. More than 41 percent of employed children in Armenia don’t attend school, according to a survey by UNICEF in 2008. 

And, while both boys and girls are at risk of being exploited for their earning potential, boys are at a greater risk.  In the Alternative Report to the Republic of Armenia where some 44 local and International NGOs, including World Vision, discuss the execution of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the country, child labour is described as a clear tool for the child's and his family's survival in fighting poverty and a threat to their ongoing education.“Most employed children are boys. Basically, they come from families where under social pressure (absence of father or economic migration) children prematurely become bread-winners.”

When World Vision identifies working children, it works with local social workers to try to improve their situations.

“When we found Narek begging in the streets, we started investigating the case to find out ways the child’s situation could be improved,” says Mariam Hambardsumyan, a social worker for World Vision’s Stakeholders acting together for strengthened child protection system in Armenia project, funded by USAID. The project in Armenia works directly with the country’s three-tier child protection system on national, regional, and community levels, while at the same time supporting the county’s deinstitutionalization strategy, doing everything in their power to prevent the institutionalization of the children appearing in difficult circumstances, as was this young boy’s situation.

“There was a possibility of Narek appearing in child care residential institution,” says Lusine Simonyan, project coordinator. “In World Vision, we believe, that the best place for the child is home where family warmth and care can be ensured,” she continues.

Through weeks of explanatory work both with Narek, his grandmother, and his father, who was asked to come back to take care for his son, Narek started attending the Inclusive school of Gavar Town, supported by World Vision.

Through the regular work of the social worker, special educator, and the psychologist working in the inclusive school, Narek is now trying to catch-up with his peers, making up for time from the classes he missed.

World Vision also supported the family by involving them in charity canteen to make sure Narek has enough to eat and also arranged for him to join a local football club, free of charge.

“Considering the wide-spread poverty in Armenia, it is necessary to offer alternative services to children and their families before they would consider child’s employment [as] the only means for survival,” says Lusine Simonyan. “This is why World Vision believes that in every community we need to have one social worker employed to support the families improve the quality of their life and quality of child care thus preventing any form of child abuse, including child labour.”

 

“In cases where child labor is inevitable, when the child is older than 14 (the legal working age in Armenia), the social worker will be on guard to make sure child’s rights are protected, his health and education are not [being] compromised,” she concludes.