Armenian mothers of large families move demands to president

The mothers' appeal of April 7 signed by twelve women, who are bringing up from four to twelve children, put forward a number of social and economic demands to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

The letter says, in particular, that the government has forgotten about the problems of large families and plans no steps to protect their rights in spite of the fact that, as the authors of the appeal emphasize, mothers of large families "make up a tiny percentage" of the population.

"We receive a scanty allowance – 7500 drams per child; instead of rewarding us, we are beggars," the "News-Armenia" quotes the mothers' letter.

Women also report that they face negative attitude of the society, including in educational and medical institutions.

"We often we hear such contemptuous words like 'if you can't grow them up, why have you given birth to them?..' If Armenia has no need of such families, then buy tickets and send us somewhere, where our rights and those of our children will be protected and where people need warriors and smart children," says the appeal.

The authors of the letter demand to pass the law defending the rights of mothers of large families, issue respective certificates to them, decorate them with medals and titles of mothers-heroines, render the free medical care to them and their families, grant their children with the right to free education in private schools and universities, improve social conditions , reduce or cancel utility fees for them, provide pensions and apartments, establish the holiday – the Day of Mothers with Many Children, and ensure respect in the society for such mothers, the "Armenia Today" reports.

The reaction of the President to the appeal of mothers of large families is unknown yet.