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The purpose of the amendments also to open the field of providing social assistance for other organizations and give an opportunity to the persons getting service in the sphere of social assistance to overcome poverty. The Chair of the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs Heriknaz Tigranyan said about this.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs initiated amendments and addenda to the law on Social Assistance and to about 18 related laws, on which working debate was organized in the RA NA Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs on May 18.

The amendments are based on the international experience, sectoral policy and new strategic approaches adopted by the Ministry. The experience of especially the countries, which are close to our country with historical experience and are exemplary with their pursued social policy for the whole world, was taken into consideration.

“We would like to reach a situation that the sphere providing assistances will become more flexible, responsive and effectively manageable with the new law on Social Assistance. We’ll have control system of standards, as well as establish Social Work Institute and open a path for new players in order the organizations and legal persons also will be able to provide assistance,” the RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Anna Zhamakochyan said.

According to Heriknaz Tigranyan, extensive amendments were envisaged, and it was also aimed to change the ideology and philosophy of the social assistance, and turn from monetary aid to targeted rendering of general services. She emphasized that the person who revises the draft agrees it with the Head Committee still at the phase of the idea: in that way the elaboration of the drafts is much more participatory.

The amendments presented by the deputies referred to the social worker’s activity, the notice on the decision of terminating the social assistance, ‘assistance centre’ notion, the revelation of persons or families appeared in the hard situation of life. The reforms being implemented in the social assistance sphere with clear regulations will make the work easier, the results will be noticeable. In the near future, debates are also planned.