Monday, 9 December 2019
Tigran Avinyan Attends Presentation of 2019 Human Development Report
On December 9, 2019, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan attended the presentation of the 2019 Human Development Report. The Deputy Premier made a speech in which he said:
“Dear Colleagues,
Mr. Maryasin,
Mr. Sharp,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate us all on the launch of the UNDP Human Development Report and Armenia’s National Human Development Report for 2019. I am confident that the issues and suggestions raised in the reports will serve as a guideline in developing a per-sector development policy.
Dear Colleagues,
The opportunity to develop human capital, namely the exercise of the right to education and health, is at the core of all other human rights and freedoms. This is not just a personal conviction, but a proven fact in the social sciences. It is also a fact that investing in people’s health, knowledge, skills and abilities has a direct impact on economic development, ensuring dignified living conditions and social well-being.
Therefore, if we seek to reduce the number of untimely deaths, today we must improve the quality of the primary healthcare chain and promote a healthy lifestyle from kindergarten. If we want to reduce the level of crime, we need to invest in the quality of education while providing a non-violent environment at school and in the family. If we are faced with the task of preserving the environment, we must strive to develop a responsible attitude towards nature in schools.
Today, by investing in the development of human capital, tomorrow we will be less concerned about maintaining social order, poverty and unemployment. But the final result is not just economic development. It is an important tool to combat the spread of intolerance and hate speech, achieve equality between men and women, and to further expand economic opportunities, promote political participation.
This idea is underpinned by the government’s action plan and our inclusive development vision. We believe that the provision of high-quality, affordable and accessible education and health services will ultimately lead to increased productivity and economic development. Therefore, we are stepping up education funding by developing new academic content and fostering school building efforts.
We increase healthcare allocations by making many services accessible to all members of society. We are developing targeted policies to reduce air, water, soil contamination, increase green areas, and encourage responsible consumption for a safe and healthy environment.
I would also like to mention those major changes that are taking place in social programs thanks to the role played by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
I would also like to pay special attention to the development of human capital for children and young people. We prioritize the development of general education and the improvement of the health status of our children and youth, which is one of the primary preconditions for the formation of high-quality human capital.
I believe it important to get children and youth involved in the process of developing relevant policies. Although the political field has been quite young since the revolution, and for example, the average age in my office is 32, there is still some need for new institutional approaches, which we will discuss in the near future in the framework of Work, Armenia and Public Administration Reform Strategies.
Dear Colleagues,
Although we boasted tangible progress in the field of human development last year, much remains to be done yet in terms of human capital development.
I can assure you that the Government has already committed itself to taking strategic steps in that direction, declaring education and healthcare as top priorities, and I am hopeful that we will be able to make significant progress in a short time through effective partnership. Thank you.”
