Action Against Hunger Hosts Coordination Round Table in Syunik Province, Armenia

On the 27^th July 2023, within the scope of the project “Providing humanitarian cash assistance and MHPSS to displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh in Syunik province, Armenia” funded by Spanish Cooperation, a round table discussion was held in Syunik province organised by Action Against Hunger in cooperation with “Partnership and Teaching”. The event was attended by the majority of international NGOs, UN agencies from Syunik province as well as by the provincial and local authorities. The main aim of the round table was to create an environment for all actors to raise and discuss the existing humanitarian and development needs and challenges faced by the communities in Syunik, which have occurred as a result of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh (NK) war, the escalation of the conflict in September 2022 and ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor

The event was opened with welcome speeches from the Head of Base of Action Against Hunger in Armenia, Grigori Hovhannisyan, the Deputy Mayor of Goris Municipality, Ms. Irina Yolyan, and the Executive Director of “Partnership and Teaching” (P&T), Artashes Torozyan.

This was followed by a short presentation on the findings of the Rapid Needs Assessment conducted by Action Against Hunger in Syunik province that informed the project funded by Spanish Cooperation. Then Artashes Torozyan presented activities conducted and the achievements of the project. The main objective was to provide unconditional cash assistance and mental health and pyscho-social support (MHPSS) to the most vulnerable households and individuals displaced from NK. It was explained that in preparation for the cash support the AAH and P&T teams developed comprehensive cash distribution procedures, protocols and documentation as this was the first time that P&T had provided such assistance. The project staff of P&T, AAH and the social workers from Goris municipality and Goris branch of the Unified Social Service also attended a 2-day training workshop on cash assistance and MHPSS, as well as in social case management methodologies.

As a result of the project, 250 families received one-time unconditional cash support though bank transfers. Of these, 147 families had been displaced during the 2020 war, 93 had been displaced as a result of the 2022 escalation and 10 who had been stranded because of the ongoing blockade.  Additionally, 100 individuals have received MHPSS support through the P&T centre in Goris and through mobile outreach through visits to the frontline communities.

The event provided an open space for all participants to present and discuss their ongoing and planned projects. Discussions also focused on the needs of the most vulnerable social groups and the challenges experienced by the conflict-affected communities in Syunik province.