What we do

The pathway to sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development entails initiatives that promote early recovery and community resilience, including in border communities, targeting the most vulnerable groups such as elderly, persons affected by armed conflict, women and youth.

Efforts are directed towards risk-informed and sustainable urban and rural development; income and employment generation for vulnerable groups, including in agriculture; infrastructure rehabilitation and development, including housing solutions; and the realization of the country’s human capital potential.

UNDP further expands its work to strengthen livelihoods, promote a predictable, fair and competitive business environment and build social cohesion and resilience for refugees and host communities.

 Support includes:

(a) crisis response and recovery, including enhancing resilience for refugees and host communities through improved livelihoods and decent employment opportunities;

(b) the transition from subsistence agriculture to value addition, processing and precise agriculture using climate-smart, green and digital technologies, including irrigation systems;

(b) investments in small and medium-sized enterprises, local start-up initiatives and hospitality services;

(c) supporting the Government in developing social housing concept and implementing pilots on the ground;

(d) piloting new bottom up approaches for rural development, including through establishment and capacitation of local action groups;

(e) supporting rehabilitation and modernization of community infrastructure and rural ambulatories, including through introduction of alternative energy solutions; 

(f) income-generation and employment initiatives, including rehabilitation and integration into social and economic life for refugees and host communities; and

(g) the development of a future-proof labour market.

This will be enabled through the promotion of technology-based education, including improved literacy in information and communication technology; professional exchanges without discrimination by age or disability status; inclusive and active labour-market policies with focus on new skills, new jobs and talent management; lifelong learning and re/up-skilling, including through vocational education and training; and protection of labour rights.

Some results so far

• UNDP strengthened resilience and livelihood of nearly 150,000 people (50 percent women) in Armenia in the face of the compound crisis. It includes several hundreds of jobs, greater income of thousands of people, green energy solutions, access to public services in remote, bordering and conflict-affected settlements of Armenia.

• More than 400,000 people benefitted from alternative energy solutions provided to their settlements: 336 solar water heaters, 100 solar panels were installed on various municipal buildings and  5400 street LED lights and 1,820 off-grid lights provided to more than 60 settlements across the country. 

• Nearly 1500 people (52 percent women) got decent jobs and increased employability, including through on-the job training and entrepreneurship.
• 15 rural ambulatories were renovated and refurbished across the country ensuring better access to enhanced facilities for more people 
• 800 farmers (50 percent women) received assets and developed new capacities for entry into green value chains.
• 700 youth (60 percent women) were trained in 10 upgraded vocational education facilities.
• 5 Local action groups were established and capacitated in two regions offering innovative development solutions and access to finance for rural residents