InternationalFrom Armenia in brief: Armenia and the United Nations Human Development Report 2009
by M. T.
Published: Saturday October 31, 2009
Irina Davtyan. Mkhitar Khachatryan / Photolure
Yerevan - According to the U.N. Human Development Report 2009 titled, "Overcoming Obstacles; Human Movement and Development," there are hundreds of millions of international migrants. The report was presented in Yerevan on October 27 by U.N. Permanent Representative Consuelo Vidal.
"This report points out the role of migration in human development and extends information to governments enabling them to make full use of that potential. Governments should add the benefits derived from migration," Ms. Vidal said.
Deputy Head of Armenia's Migration Agency Irina Davtyan noted that nearly one million people have emigrated from Armenia over the last 20 years, and only 172 thousand people have moved to the country. The 1988 earthquake and the war in Nagorno-Karabakh are among the reasons noted for migration. While in the 1990s Armenian citizens pointed out that unemployment was the main reason for leaving the country, as of 2000, the principal reason noted for leaving is low or insufficient income.
Armenia is in the 84th place in the list of 182 countries in terms of human development (as reported in last week's Washington Briefing). As compared to the previous year's index, this year the index value of human development has improved in Armenia thanks to the increase in the index of per capita gross domestic product; however it has not reduced the continuing high indexes of emigration.
Earned income by migrants is usually directed back to their families and communities in their native countries. According to the report, studies have shown that the migrants of poorest countries who have moved to a developed country win the most because their average income increases 15 times and usually the number of people getting education doubles and infant mortality is considerably reduced.
