Gevorg Gharibyan, Acting Head of the Department of Children and Social Protection of the Yerevan Municipality, participated in an international congress and conference “Rise Up”, organized by the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), held in Vilnius from October 5 to 10.
During the conference, Gevorg Gharibyan delivered a report emphasizing the importance of strengthening, financing, and expanding the social services workforce as a cornerstone of the child protection system. He also outlined ongoing reforms in the child protection sector in Armenia, along with Yerevan’s experience.
As part of the working visit, the Acting Head of the Department of Children and Social Protection also took part in several official meetings aimed at enhancing professional cooperation between Yerevan and Vilnius in the sector of child protection and social services.
At a meeting with Simona Bieliūnė, Deputy Mayor of Vilnius, the sides discussed potential areas for collaboration, particularly emphasizing experience exchange and the joint development of programs in the field of child protection.
During the meeting with Toma Mikelkevičiūtė, Deputy Director of the Vilnius City Social Services Centre, the two sides explored effective measures for delivering social services, discussed potential experience exchange programs, and reached a preliminary agreement to arrange mutual visits and develop future projects.
Discussions were also held with representatives of the “Kibble Education and Care Centre”, during which potential cooperation formats in child care provision, as well as initiatives for knowledge and experience exchange, were considered.
In recognition of his contributions to the child protection sector, Gevorg Gharibyan was awarded a lifetime membership by ISPCAN representative Pragathi Tummala. The inclusion of the Yerevan Municipality, represented by the Department of Children and Social Protection, among ISPCAN’s official partner organizations is currently under consideration. ISPCAN also expressed its readiness to provide methodological support for monitoring child care services in Yerevan.
It was proposed to publish Yerevan’s experience in the field of child protection in ISPCAN’s scientific journal “Child Protection and Practice”.