HRW calls on Armenia to provide education of disabled children in families

In Armenia, the lack of high-quality inclusive education and of government support are forcing parents to send their children with disabilities to boarding schools and children's homes, and that means discrimination. This was stated by the international human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW).

According to the HRW's report "When I get home?" 90% of inmates of boarding schools and children's homes have at least one living parent.

Families experiencing problems because of poverty, unemployment, poor living conditions, diseases, or disabilities of their members receive help not at the places of their residence, but in boarding schools. Because of the above fact, many families have to send their children there, even in cases when they would prefer to educate them at home. However, even well-funded children's homes are often overcrowded, the HRW reports.

The human rights organization treats the forced stay of children with disabilities in boarding schools as discrimination. According to the authors of the HRW's report, children with disabilities should have the opportunity to study in ordinary schools; however, the Armenian authorities failed to ensure high-quality inclusive education. In Armenia, physical barriers in schools and urban areas often prevent children with disabilities from receiving an education.

According to human rights defenders, in Armenia, the authorities allocate 3000-5000 US dollars a year for maintenance of one child at boarding schools and children's homes. These funds are enough to help family members who do not want to send their child to a boarding school, the HRW reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.