Armenia has managed to reduce the sex ratio of newborns to some extent

The Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Armenia presents a brief report on the gender imbalance in infants and abortions.

Problem identification

In 2011, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a study that found that there is a risk of sex-selected abortion in Armenia. In other words, some Armenian families do not allow girls to have children through abortion, preferring to have a son. As a result, since the early 1990s, the sex ratio of newborns in Armenia has deviated from normal, which is considered to be between 102 and 106 boys per 100 girls.

According to the RA Statistical Committee, in the early 2000s the ratio reached 120 newborn boys per 100 newborn girls, relatively stabilizing in the early 2010s at 114-115 boys / 100 girls.

A subsequent study by the United Nations Population Fund in 2013 found that Armenia has all three preconditions for abortion:

• Armenian society prefers boys to girls almost 6 times.
• Relevant technologies are available in the country, which allow future parents to know the sex of the child in advance and to avoid unwanted girl children.
• Couples prefer to have fewer children. The birth rate is much lower than the simple reproduction rate (the total birth rate in Armenia in the early 1990s, on average, decreased from 2.62 children per woman to 1.6 today).

The study predicted that if the number of abortions due to sex continues, Armenia will lose almost 93,000 women by 2060, and the annual number of unborn girls will increase by 2060  reaching 2000. In addition, the gender imbalance in infants in Armenia will have a negative impact on the possibility of starting a family and may be an additional stimulus for emigration.

Work:

Based on the research, the UN Population Fund launched large-scale coverage and awareness-raising activities, and began intensive meetings with partners to provide expert assistance.

As a result, a broad front was formed with partners such as the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Office of the President of the Republic of Armenia, the Church, journalists and media, the Office of the Human Rights Defender, NGOs, international organizations, scientific circles, medical workers, social workers for the sake of  elimination of this vicious phenomenon.

International and local partners, including the International Center for Human Development, Save the Children, the Armavir Development Center, the Martuni Women’s Community Council with EU funding, World Vision Armenia, the Office of the President of the Republic of Armenia, the United Nations Children’s Fund And others, they launched a number of large-scale projects, adding the research to the carried out  work. A public channel was raised against the youth through social networks.

In 2014, the government adopted the first decision emphasizing the need to take measures to prevent sex discrimination and abortion-related measures, and in 2015 it developed and approved a corresponding program (2015-2017), followed by the program of the same name approved in 2020 for years 2020-2023.

2016 In June, the National Assembly passed a package of legislative amendments to ban sex-related abortions.

In 2017, the United Nations Population Fund launched the EU-funded “Global Programme To Prevent Son Preference And The Undervaluing Of Girls” which, along with Armenia, was attended by five countries from the South Caucasus and Asia.

The result:

The large-scale and intense joint efforts of propaganda and awareness led to the positive change in the sex preference of the newborn in Armenia.

Shortly after the start of work, Armenia managed to reduce the sex ratio of newborns to 110 boys per 100 girls (2019).

However, a long and persistent work is still to be expected, until the ratio reaches 102-106 boys per 100 girls and never changes again. We and our partners are ready to do that work. And you?