Strengthening the Government of Armenia’s Systems for Child Protection and Counter-Trafficking in Persons

By Data for Impact

Since 2020, D4I has supported the Armenia Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) to strengthen collection, management, and use of quality routine data to support effective case management, thus improving the provision of child protection and care. In 2021, D4I started a second activity in Armenia that focused on working with MOLSA and other partners to strengthen capacities around counter-trafficking in persons (C-TIP).

Standardized Data Collection and Reporting in Yerevan Municipality

Yerevan Municipality requested D4I support to establish standardized data collection and reporting mechanisms for meeting the needs of children. D4I worked with the municipality to conduct a landscape assessment to review the data management and use approaches adopted by social protection professionals across Yerevan’s administrative districts. The results revealed significant gaps, including form inconsistencies and a lack of standardized data collection forms. D4I worked with social work professionals to develop a new, Excel-based data registration tool for use across all districts. The tool will improve the case management of children and families receiving social services, especially those receiving multiple types of services, and support the municipality in decision making. D4I trained Yerevan Municipality staff on the tool in May 2023.

“If we use [the data collection tool] properly, it’s going to be a great help. This information is really crucial in terms of planning a municipal budget in the sector of social protection. The long-term impact […] is this will be helpful in terms of avoiding duplication of data [and] so that the same beneficiary doesn’t move from administrative district to district and keep getting the [same] support […] When there is one system in place, everyone [will be able to] access [the data] and see which [services the] beneficiary received.”
— Mayor of Yerevan Municipality

Roadmap for the Child Protection Information System

Another D4I activity in Armenia supported the development of a new case management information system (CMIS) for MOLSA. D4I conducted an assessment of the more than twenty-year-old existing information system which revealed several issues, including an obsolete software platform and inability to connect with external databases for integrated case management monitoring. D4I’s recommendations included the development of a new CMIS with increased capacity, more flexible settings, and the potential for future expansion; plus a revision of the legal background to support the digitization strategy for the new system.

D4I conducted a user needs assessment for the new CMIS and supported the MOLSA Division on Children’s Issues to develop and finalize the new ecosystem. MOLSA now has a detailed terms of reference for development of a modern CMIS capable of responding to the needs of key actors of the Armenia child protection system. The new CMIS will enable interoperability, real-life data exchange among those who work with children in difficult life situations, and promote improved case management.

C-TIP National Action Plan

USAID works with the government of Armenia to strengthen local capacity and systems to effectively implement and monitor the C-TIP National Action Plan (NAP). The 2020–2022 NAP aimed to organize the fight against trafficking in and exploitation of persons in Armenia. D4I, along with C-TIP working group representatives from the government and non-governmental organizations, reviewed the 2020–2022 NAP. This review revealed several gaps, including inadequate metrics to monitor progress towards countering human trafficking and exploitation, such as lack of a standardized reporting mechanism and measurable performance indicators. The review also included recommendations for the next NAP.

D4I provided support to MOLSA and partners to review these recommendations and the C-TIP 2020–2022 NAP implementation and incorporated these findings into the 2023–2025 C-TIP NAP. To ensure that routine monitoring is done using standard metrics, D4I supported MOLSA to develop the C-TIP NAP implementation reporting mechanism and a NAP results framework. Further, D4I assisted MOLSA and its partners to develop and review routine data collection and reporting tools for use in program planning to increase counter-trafficking responses. These updates to the NAP and development of a new results framework and reporting mechanism will further support the government of Armenia’s goal to improve the response to human trafficking and exploitation.

D4I celebrated the accomplishments and work across these two activities with partners at a close-out meeting in Yerevan in July 2023. The meeting featured a gallery walk with posters highlighting accomplishments across both activities.

“We believe the country’s strengthened skills in collecting and using data to inform the strategic management of care reform and counter-trafficking efforts will effectively advance the needs of vulnerable children and adults.”
— USAID/Armenia Mission Director John Allelo

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