Armenia

In February 2023, the Armenian government announced the gradual introduction of a national health insurance that in four years would cover the country’s population. Experts have long debated the need to reform the current system, under which the general public pays for treatment, while those from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups can access free care. © Armenia’s Ministry of Health

Armenia to Launch Comprehensive Health Insurance

Country has long had low spending on healthcare, leading to huge pressure on ordinary citizens.

22 Mar 23

Georgia and Armenia are two of the few countries where commercial surrogacy is legal, allowing a woman to be paid to carry someone else’s genetic child through IVF and embryo-transfer. © Gvantsa Seturidze

Surrogacy on the Rise in the South Caucasus

As the practice thrives, experts warn that oversight is crucial to ensure protection and prevent exploitation.

8 Mar 23

On 21 February 21, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) met Stefano Tomat (centre), chief of civilian operations of the European External Action Service, and Markus Ritter (left), head of the new EU monitoring mission in Armenia. Deployed on 20 February, the two-year mission foresees up to 100 personnel, of which 50 unarmed civilian monitors, and will monitor the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. © Press office of Armenia's Prime Minister's office

EU Deploys Two-Year Monitoring Mission in Armenia

Brussels commits to reducing border tensions with a longer-term and more robust deployment.

23 Feb 23

A mother holds the children she gave birth to as a result of in-vitro fertilisation. In January, the Armenian government announced a large-scale free programme to address the country's low infertility rate. © Fertility Center of Armenia

Armenia Offers Free IVF to Tackle Population Decline

Authorities are taking measures to address high infertility rate and address demographic challenges.

3 Feb 23

Armenia’s Russia Challenge

The limits of Moscow’s security promises now clearly demonstrates that Yerevan must adjust to a dangerous new reality of standing alone.

18 Jan 23

Struggling to make ends meet in her native Armenia, Lilit (not her real name) was lured into a nanny job in Greece. Instead she found herself trapped in Istanbul, with no documents and forced into prostitution. According to the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), 68 Armenian citizens were identified as having been trafficked between 2017 and 2021. © Armine Avetisyan

Armenia: Trafficked and Exploited

The pandemic and Nagorny Karabakh conflict of 2020 have led to a steep rise in the number of Armenian victims.

12 Dec 22

Schools Struggle in Armenia’s Border Villages

Fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has affected thousands of children’s right to learn.

1 Dec 22

Russians Seek Armenia Citizenship

The Ukraine conflict has spurred many to acquire alternative passports.

1 Dec 22

Arsen and Tigran, a young Armenian couple, committed suicide together on 20 October '22.

Armenia: a Young Gay Couple’s Tragic Fate

The apparent suicide led to an outpouring of homophobic hate speech in a country that ranks low on LGBTI rights.

16 Nov 22

Armenian servicemen in frontline trenches separating the Armenian-controlled territory from the Azerbaijani forces in Nagorny Karabakh, pictured in May 2016. A draft law proposed to the possibility for conscripts to pay off part of the mandatory military service, rising concerns about bringing to the military ranks the country’s gap between rich and poor. © Monica Ellena

No War for the Rich: Army Bill Sparks Controversy in Armenia

Proposal would see soldiers allowed to make a hefty payment to the state so as to drastically reduce the time they serve.

8 Nov 22

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