Refugee pregnant women and mothers in Armenia receive essential support
UNFPA and UNICEF provide refugee women with pharmacy cards to help them buy the essentials during pregnancy and the first year of their babies’ lives.
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Anna, 26, fled to Armenia with her two-year-old son, husband and sister-in-law in September 2023. Now expecting her second baby, Anna still feels anxious after leaving behind their family home, enduring an uncertain three-day journey to seek safety in Armenia and facing the realities of long-term displacement.
Having lost her income and arriving in Armenia with very little belongings, Anna often worries about how she will provide for soon-to-be newborn child and ensure that Monte, her son has everything he needs. With the help of a pharmacy card from UNFPA and UNICEF, Anna has been able to buy essential items including prenatal vitamins, toiletries and a toy for her son.
"Any assistance for a displaced person is crucial, not just financially, but also psychologically; it signifies a helping hand and showing that I am not alone. When I learned I could shop for Monte, I was overjoyed because we needed certain things," she says.
"Every bit of support counts. When you get help for the arrival of your new bundle of joy, your mood shifts. It makes you want to embrace life again, knowing that even strangers are standing by your side," she says.
This is the second time Anna has received a voucher. During the winter months, UNICEF gave winter clothing vouchers to all refugee families with children aged between 0-9 years old.
"I bought items for Monte that I now realize are essential. During displacement, it isn't easy to discern what's most important, where you're headed, and what you'll need. Often, you end up selecting what seems less crucial at the time, based on availability, only to realize upon arrival that your child lacks essential clothing," Anna reflects.
Anna admits that she is not naturally outgoing, making it difficult to make friends. Sometimes, she flips through pictures of her hometown, reminiscing about her old life.
"In 2020, when I heard the loud noises, I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Monte was just a few months old, and my husband called from another city, urging me to seek shelter. By 2023, those same sounds brought back the dread. At first we rushed to the basement. It was damp, cramped and no place for a child, but at least it was somewhat safe," Anna recalls.
"You know when I find hope and understand that I made it out OK? When I look around and realize my husband is still alive. That's when everything else fades into insignificance. There are so many families experiencing profound loss—some have lost multiple relatives. How can I complain or feel upset?" she asks.
"Together with UNFPA we built on a voucher support programme that we’d have recently rolled out. By expanding to a new target group and pooling financial resources, the support was provided in quickly and systematically, saving time and resources," Armenuhi Hovakimyan, UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist explains. "We partnered with Armenia's Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs and Health to identify all pregnant women through medical centers. It was a truly collaborative effort that helped us reach all women and children in need of support," she added.
Funded by UNFPA and US Government, UNICEF, in collaboration with Armenia's Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Armenian Progressive Youth NGO, are working together to give all refugee pregnant women and nursing mothers with children under a year old pharmacy cards worth 25,000 AMD. Pregnant women and those with infants aged 0-6 months receive support twice.
"Women and their reproductive health are at the center of UNFPA's mandate, especially when it comes to women affected by conflict. During conflicts, especially pregnant women and nursing women suffer disproportionately. In that respect, the project implemented with our funding and through UNICEF, which provides pharmacy vouchers to all forcibly displaced pregnant women and nursing mothers with a 0–1-year-old child, is an attempt to ease their worries at least a little, to help prepare for the birth of the child,"
Anna describes her current situation with one word: responsibility—towards her two children. And even though she often feels lost in her new city and cannot find a sense of belonging there, she promises not to give up.
She may be wary of building up hope amid fears of disappointment, but she's working on overcoming her apprehensions, listening to her inner voice, exploring new horizons and expressing gratitude.
