Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN at the Annual Session of the UNICEF Executive Board

13 June, 2023

Madam President,

I would like to thank Executive Director Catherine Russell for the comprehensive presentation of the annual report and express our appreciation to her strong leadership of UNICEF.

This year’s report illustrates the important role of the Fund in addressing the global challenges affecting children and youth to deliver much needed support in tackling the serious crises in education, immunization, water, sanitation and hygiene, mental health, expanding social protection, and pushing back against threats to child rights, in line with the priorities of the 2022-2025 strategic plan of UNICEF.

Armenia values the long-standing and result-oriented cooperation with the UNICEF, aimed at protecting and promoting the rights of children, creating an inclusive, child-sensitive and resilient social protection service, ensuring access to quality education and universal, affordable and accessible health system as well as safe and resilient environment with particular attention to children in vulnerable situations.

We welcome the efforts of the Fund to strengthen its regional and local engagement and representation, such as the opening of the regional office in the Syunik Province of Armenia for more on-site presence and expanded outreach, including in rural areas.

Madam President,

The international humanitarian law and the international human rights law shape a crucial framework for the effective protection of children in conflict and post conflict settings. A reinforced focus of UNICEF on protecting the rights of children in situation of conflict is of utmost importance.

For six-month now the free movement through the Lachin corridor connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world has been blocked, depriving 120,000 people, including 30,000 children, of their fundamental human rights, including the right to life, health and education. The realization of the rights of the children has been severely impacted affecting their well-being and psychological integrity, undermining their ability to live and develop in a safe and secure environment. The evolving humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh requires strong involvement of UNICEF in line with its mandate to uphold the rights of all children everywhere, to help meet their basic needs, to ensure special protection for the most disadvantaged.

Madam President,

In the run up to the SDG Summit and Summit of the Future next year the international community and UNICEF should redouble efforts to create a safe and conducive environment for children to exercise their rights and fully realize their potential in all parts of the world. I would like to reiterate Armenia’s strong determination for constructive cooperation and engagement with UNICEF to achieve 2030 Agenda and to leave no child behind.

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