BIRTHRATE IS A PRIMARY PROBLEM
Laura Grigorian

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
26 Dec 2006

In June the Center for Social Survey and Analysis was set up in
NKR. And the first thing the NGO started to deal with is the survey
of birthrate in NKR.

According to the director of the center Valery Avanessian, when the
government launched a policy of stimulating the rate of birth in
1999-2000, the policy was effective, and in the first two years the
rate of birth started to grow.

But recently the rate of death has been growing and the rate of birth
started to decline. "It seems that migration could help to solve the
problem, but it is not realistic. It is not true to think that the
Armenians from all over the world will come to live in Karabakh. It
is clear that immense funds are necessary for this. Therefore,
the population will grow only if the birth rate grows." According
to Valery Avanessian, the Center for Social Survey and Analysis is
conducting a survey among women aged 19 to 35. Questionnaires with 13
questions were sent out to the regions, including 140 to Martakert,
90 to Hadrut, 120 to Askeran, 170 to Martuni, 30 to Shushi, 20 to
Shahumian, and 70 to Kashatagh. "The poll is anonymous and we have
already 500 filled-in forms.

The survey will last till late January," said Valery
Avanessian. According to the director of the Center for Social Survey
and Analysis, the information will be released to the media, and
parliamentary hearings may be held, and the problems will be extended
to the government to tackle with. "In particular, we the members of
the center want to have a national policy worked out, where the birth
rate must be primary as a component of the strategy of the country,
and the problem must become part of the national security."