Armenia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan met on Thursday with Tanja Radocaj, the Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and discussed the priorities in the sphere of children’s rights, focusing specifically on the procedure of de-institutionalization that will also include children with disabilities.

As the ministry press service reported, Batoyan praised the immense contribution the UNICEFF has made in the design and implementation of reforms to address gaps in the fulfilment of the rights of all children in Armenia.

“Whenever we speak of the process of de-institutionalization, we should consider all children living in boarding schools, including in private ones. Our approach is clear if there are any funds available from the state budget, donor of private organisations, they should be directed not to institutions but to the family,” the minister has said, stressing also the importance of protection of personal data of the children.

Minister Batoyan has also stressed the pending amendments into the Law of Children’s rights, especially into provisions of children’s trafficking and exploitation.