STIMULATION OF BIRTHRATE IS A STRATEGIC ISSUE

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
28 April 07

Over the past five years the Good Samaritan NGO and Maternity NGO have
been implementing a few programs in Artsakh, including a program of
stimulation of birthrate and prevention of abortion in NKR. On April
21 these NGOs held a round-table meeting at the City Hall and invited
representatives of NGOs, officials and reporters. Hasmik Michaelian
presented statistics on the rate of birth and the rate of abortion
for the past few years. She compared these rates to the rate of child
death in pointing to the strategic importance of the demographic
state for the nation. Marianna Hakobian, the head of the department
of youth of the NKR ministry of education, presented the number of
young people who are reluctant to get married, especially in rural
areas. The reasons are clear: poverty, unemployment. The head of Good
Samaritan Arthur Balayan said the organization is preparing booklets
to distribute to people. Leaflets on the dangers of abortion have been
distributed to people. The participants of the round-table meeting
came up with proposals, which will be extended to the NKR government.

LAURA GRIGORIAN.

28-04-2007