Armenian Government Approves 2024-2040 Strategy to Address Demographic Challenges

The Armenian government has recently approved a comprehensive strategy to improve the country’s demographic situation over the next 16 years. The "2024-2040 Strategy for Improving the Demographic Situation" is a major plan designed to address key challenges facing Armenia’s population. This plan aims to create a more balanced, healthy, and sustainable population structure while improving the overall quality of life for all citizens.

The main objectives of the strategy focus on building a supportive environment for families, reducing health risks, and promoting a dignified, active old age. These efforts are expected to strengthen Armenia’s human capital, reduce emigration, and ensure sustainable economic growth. The strategy is based on four major areas of improvement, which will be addressed through specific programs and measures.

1. Promoting Family Well-Being and Childbirth

   The strategy emphasizes creating a supportive environment for families. This includes policies aimed at making it easier for families to have children by improving maternity care, providing flexible work and educational opportunities for pregnant women, and offering incentives for child planning. The government seeks to ensure that the birth of each child contributes to the development of human capital, thus helping the country’s future workforce grow stronger.

   By creating such an environment, the government aims to reduce financial and social pressures that may prevent families from having more children. Improving maternal health services will be a key focus, ensuring that expectant mothers have access to better healthcare during pregnancy and after childbirth.

2. Promoting Healthy Living to Reduce Mortality

   Another critical goal of the strategy is to reduce death risk factors and promote healthy living throughout a person’s lifetime. The government plans to encourage mass participation in sports and active lifestyles to improve public health. Alongside this, there will be educational programs to empower citizens to make informed choices about their health and well-being.

   These efforts will focus on preventing health deterioration and loss of human capital, ensuring that people live healthier and longer lives. By improving health outcomes, Armenia hopes to reduce preventable deaths and enhance the quality of life for its citizens.

3. Ensuring Active and Dignified Aging

   The strategy also aims to create better opportunities for older citizens to remain active participants in society. This includes expanding preventive health services to address the unique challenges faced by the elderly, as well as offering education and training opportunities to help older generations stay engaged in the country’s socio-economic life.

   The plan envisions a society where aging does not mean a loss of purpose or dignity. Instead, older individuals will have the chance to continue contributing to their communities, furthering their personal growth, and supporting Armenia’s development. This approach will also help reduce the burden on healthcare systems by promoting active aging and preventative care.

4. Reducing Emigration and Attracting Talent

   One of the key challenges Armenia faces is emigration, particularly among its highly skilled workforce. The government recognizes that many Armenians leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad. To address this issue, the strategy includes measures to reduce the motivations for emigration and improve Armenia’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified individuals.

  Planned reforms include better tracking of migration data, improving integration with the country’s electronic border information systems, and balancing internal migration flows. These efforts aim to make Armenia a more attractive place to live and work, ensuring that the country retains its brightest minds and skilled professionals.

The development of this strategy was a joint effort led by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the consulting firm Ameria. Global experts from institutions such as the Wittgenstein Center for Demography and Global Human Capital and Charles University in Prague contributed to the process, bringing international knowledge and expertise to the table.

The strategy reflects a careful analysis of Armenia’s current demographic trends and the steps needed to improve them. It is designed to be flexible and adaptable, ensuring that the government can make adjustments as the country’s demographic landscape evolves over time.

This 2024-2040 demographic strategy marks a significant step towards addressing Armenia’s population challenges. By focusing on key areas such as family well-being, health, aging, and migration, the government aims to build a more balanced and resilient society. The ultimate goal is to create a stable population structure that can support sustainable economic growth while improving the quality of life for every Armenian citizen.

The success of this strategy will depend on effective implementation and ongoing collaboration between government agencies, international partners, and the Armenian people. If successful, the plan will help Armenia navigate its demographic challenges and secure a brighter, more prosperous future.