UN and partners appeal for US$97 million to respond to urgent needs of refugees and their hosts in Armenia

ArmInfo. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, with UN agencies and NGO partners, is appealing for  US$97 million to provide urgent humanitarian aid and protection to refugees and those generously hosting them in Armenia, in support of the government-led response.

The Armenia Emergency Refugee Response Plan (RRP), launched today,  brings together 60 partners, including 43 national NGOs, and covers  relief efforts for a six-month period, until the end of March 2024.   The joint plan aims to support some 231,000 people including 136,000  refugees and 95,000 members of local host communities. The plan also  takes into account the upcoming, harsh winter months, when critical  support will be required.

Following the escalation of hostilities at the end of September, more  than 100,000 refugees arrived in Armenia in less than a week. Among  new arrivals, are some 30,000 children and many vulnerable people  including pregnant women, people with disabilities and others with  chronic health conditions. More than half of the refugees are older  people and children.

Many fled with just the few possessions they were able to grab, and  arrived distressed, exhausted and apprehensive about the future. They  now require critical support.

Having to absorb more than a hundred thousand refugees in a matter of  days, there is immense pressure on the host community in Armenia and  on existing national services. Refugee arrivals represent over 3.4  per cent of the country's population and are in addition to a  pre-existing refugee, asylum seeker and stateless population of some  35,000 people.

"We call upon the international community to urgently support  refugees and their hosts. Local host communities have generously  opened their doors and displayed tremendous solidarity with refugees.  The local response, led by national authorities, volunteers and civil  society, has also been equally remarkable.  International support is  crucial however, to sustain this welcome and to enable us to respond  to immediate needs and to also build upon the resilience of this  population", said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. 

The Refugee Response Plan will support and complement the government  response, with an emphasis on emergency protection and assistance,  while at the same time focusing on inclusion, resilience, and  solutions from the start, targeting both refugees and the host  communities.

It covers multiple sectors, notably protection - with a focus on  gender-based violence, child protection and education, as well as  food security and nutrition, health, resilience, shelter and non-food  items and with a longer-term focus on inclusion and the strengthening  of national public services.