INCREASING BIRTHRATE IS A PRIORITY

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 21 2004

For countries with small population the growth of the number of the
population is very important. This importance is more apparent for
countries that survived war. Of course, it is not easy to restore the
social and economic state of the population having passed through
war. In the recent decade in Karabakh not only the government but
also different organizations undertook a number of measures for
increasing birthrate. Families having 4 and more children under 18
receive monthly benefits of 2000 drams for each child (by January 1,
2004 there are 1160 such families in Karabakh). Armenian Evangelist
Society also provides aid. About 325 families in the republic receive
food and money once in three months. In 2004 “Karabakh Telecom”
provides 5 thousand drams to each child in socially insecure families
having 4 and more children. The department for problems of family
and children of the NKR Ministry of Social Security informed that
of the 223 families 71 (321 children) have already received their
sums. According to the head of the department Samvel Dadassian,
by the decision N 62 of the government of NKR made on November 26,
2002 for the aim of stimulating birthrate, favouring the growth of
the number of population, improving the material security of the
growing generation at the town and regional branches of “Artsakhbank”
accounts are opened in the name of the child born in the family. For
the third child 700 US dollars, fourth child 1000 US dollars, for
the fifth and the next children 1500 US dollars, for the fifth child
1500 US dollars, for the sixth and seventh child 2000 US dollars,
for the tenth and the next children 3000 US dollars. According to S.
Dadassian, after the birth of fourth and the next children for all
the schoolchildren in the family the payment for the textbooks is
compensated by the government, and in the regions families having
more than 5 children under 18 receive monthly compensation for 60
kW/h of electricity. In the regions after the birth of the tenth
and next children the family receives only once 5000 US dollars.
Generally large families are socially insecure especially when its
members do not work. One of them is the family of Avetis Abrahamian.
Before the Artsakh war they lived in Russia. In 1990 they returned
to Artsakh to defend their native land. By the way, their fourth
child was born here. Now the family Abrahamian has eight children
(4 boys and 4 girls), soon the ninth will be born. “Frankly speaking
we do not know whom to turn to for help. I applied to many places for
work but never received a positive answer. I applied to the City Hall
for the question of repairing the apartment but I was refused for the
reason of the lack of financial means. So far we have been living in
two rooms and the third which serves as a sitting room does not have
floor. After all this I come to the conclusion that the contribution
of the defenders of the fatherland is not appreciated,” says A.
Abrahamian. Nevertheless, the family expects with hope for the new
apartment to be built and improvement of their social conditions. In
reference to the question of providing flats to large families the
head of the department for problems of family and children stated
that houses are being built for families in the regions having 7 and
more children under 18. In 2000-2003 50 houses were built for large
families in the regions. This year it is planned to build 25 houses.
Building of 15 has already started, the others are prepared. As
to the families living in the capital in 2005 houses will be built
for families having 6 and more children. The family Abrahamian is
among them.

ANAHIT DANIELIAN

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress