October 11, 2023

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IOM ARMENIA SITUATION UPDATE #5

11 OCTOBER 2023

SITUATION OVERVIEW

As of 10 October, 100,670 people have arrived in Armenia, following the latest escalation of the conflict in September 2023.

The Migration and Citizenship Service has registered over 97,840 people, predominantly in Yerevan and Syunik. The government has also arranged accommodation for 40 per cent of arrivals, while the remaining are residing among host communities.

COORDINATION

UN agencies in the country are fully engaged to ensure effective support to the Government’s efforts to address the immediate needs. On 7 October the UN launched an interagency Refugee Response Plan, outlining needs, coordination arrangements, and contributing funding requirements.

IOM is contributing to the planned response under Shelter, Protection, Health, and Early Recovery sectors, and is co-leading the Health Sector with the World Health Organization.

A joint Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) is underway. Initial data from this assessment will be available by the end of the current week. RNA data will be used to further detail and tailor IOM’s interventions to respond to the urgent needs particularly, in view of the approaching winter season.

IOM RESPONSE

IOM is working closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to finalize support for shelter/housing repairs in buildings where new arrivals are accommodated. Planned Shelter repairs will include minor building repairs, electricity, masonry and sanitary works.

As of 11 October, IOM Mobile Health Clinics have provided services to more than 400 people in seven communities in the regions of Syunik, Gegharkunik, Ararat and Vayots Dzor. The mobile teams are deployed to locations where they are most needed, predominantly where there is a large concentration of people and lack of other easily accessible health services.

Each team also includes a psychologist for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). This remains an ongoing need among the affected population given the challenges faced by families for an extended period of time including the blockade, displacement and uncertainty about the future.

IOM's initial response activities in Armenia are supported by a global funding arrangement with the German Federal Foreign Office.

Approximately 40,000 people are temporarily accommodated in emergency shelters. These are buildings—old factories or hospitals—which are currently out of use, but they could accommodate a large number of people.

These buildings now contain different constellations of individual stories. Everyone is putting one foot in front of the other, hoping to make it through the winter, and looking towards rebuilding their lives.

89-year-old Seda is from the village of Chartar, where until ten days ago she lived with her daughter Lyudmila. They then spent two days outside on the central square of their town in the rain, in an attempt to find transportation to Armenia. Now they are in a government collective shelter. Lyudmila is hoping to find work as a cleaner or a cook, and rent their own accommodation.

IOM is providing support in an effort to protect and assist them. In the coming months, IOM will meet the urgent winterization needs by conducting light repairs to these collective shelters, while at the same time, IOM is already providing mental health and psychosocial support services, which offer much-needed assistance to people in a difficult situation to move through their initial shock and start to think about the future.

For more information: www.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl486/files/situation_reports/file/iom-armenia-situation-update_no.-5-11-october.pdf