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PRESS RELEASE
Eurasia Foundation
56 Zarobyan Str., Yerevan 0009, Armenia
Contact: Alisa Alaverdyan
Tel/Fax: (374 10) 586095
E-mail: alisa@eurasia.am
Web:

Outgoing and Returning Labor Migrants Supported through Rural Resource
Centers

Yerevan, Armenia – Six local organizations and one inter-community union
will establish Migration and Return Resource Centers in rural communities of
Armenia with support from Eurasia Foundation (EF) to provide services to
outgoing and returning labor migrants in the Lori, Armavir, Kotayk, Syunik,
Tavush and Gegharkunik regions of Armenia.

Each resource center will provide legal consultations; information on
employment opportunities in Armenia, on registration procedures in Russia,
and on the risks of illegal migration; and training for returnees on
entrepreneurship. Some resource centers will receive additional support for
visits to establish partnerships with Russian NGOs serving labor migrants
for the exchange of information and lessons learned. Through the
establishment of these resource centers, Eurasia Foundation hopes to
decrease the level of illegal labor migration from Armenia’s regions, to
help protect the rights of labor migrants while they are abroad, and to
assist returnees as they reintegrate into local communities.

The Foundation will also provide training to develop the capacities of each
partner organization to gather and analyze data on local trends in local
migration and on the experiences of labor migrants while abroad. This
information will help the resource centers better serve potential labor
migrants and work with policy makers to develop improved mechanisms for
protecting migrants’ rights. Through a series of network meetings between
these resource centers and government representatives, EF will promote
information exchange on issues related to labor migration.

Partner organizations include: The Resource Center of Charentsavan, Armavir
Development Center, Yerevak NGO, Hope and Help NGO in Vanadzor, Sisian
Communities Union, Goris Youth Union, and Martuni Women’s Community Center.
These organizations were selected through an open competition that was
publicly announced in June 2007.