“I was told that the Armenian society has a distinct approach to its children.”

UN Special Reporter Maud de Boer-Buquicchio concluded her visit to Armenia.

In May 2015 the United Nations Special Rapporteur Maud de Boer-Buquicchio visited Armenia with the aim of assessing the situation of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in the country. Ms. de Boer-Buquicchio visited and talked to children residing in special care institutions and orphanages in Shirak and Lori regions.

“During my visit, almost all of my interlocutors conveyed a recurring message of deep love of the Armenian society for its children, and of the protective character of Armenian traditions and family values towards children. I was also told that the Armenian social fabric, based on the common endurance of historical suffering, has created a strong feeling of collective responsibility towards children, where there would be no room for child abuse to go undetected.” However, Ms. de Boer-Buquicchio continued by expressing her concern in regards to early marriages and placement of children into boarding institutions due to their families’ socio-economic hardships.

“Ninety percent of children placed into boarding institutions were there due to socio-economic hardships. There are cases of children who were pushed to engage in prostitution or to beg on the streets to provide for their families. It is important that the government strengthens its family support packages and ensures access to quality education,” she concluded.

Full text in Armenian