Quarterly Report: January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009

The project began in 2009 and is being implemented by AECOM International Development. The project aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the social insurance system, as well as improve the overall well-being of the Armenian population. The project is divided into four main components: Social Insurance, Employment Services, Occupational Safety and Labor, and Social Assistance to Vulnerable Populations. The Social Insurance component aims to establish a multi-pillar pension system, provide ongoing modeling support, and facilitate discussion on new pension regulations. The Employment Services component aims to develop a strategic plan for employment services, create an institutional framework for outsourcing services, and improve job-matching. The Occupational Safety and Labor component aims to promote the adoption of needed amendments to the Labor Code, modernize the Labor Inspectorate, and implement risk-based occupational safety enforcement. The Social Assistance to Vulnerable Populations component aims to strengthen social safety net programs, assist in social contracting, and promote social work as an academic discipline. The project also includes cross-cutting activities, including information, education, and communication, policy and legislative review, IT and other commodity procurement, anti-corruption initiatives, and monitoring and evaluation. The project aims to achieve several objectives, including improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the social insurance system, improving the quality of employment services, and improving the overall well-being of the Armenian population. The project has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2009. The accumulated training numbers organized by TSG have increased, and the project has made significant progress in implementing the work plan objectives. The project has also made progress in achieving the USAID Armenia FY2009 targets. The project has also identified several issues and challenges, including the need to strengthen the institutional framework for social insurance, improve the efficiency of employment services, and improve the effectiveness of social assistance programs. The project will continue to address these challenges and continue to work towards achieving its objectives. The project has also made significant progress in implementing the overall work plan objectives. The project has made significant progress in implementing the work plan objectives, including the establishment of a multi-pillar pension system, the development of a strategic plan for employment services, and the promotion of the adoption of needed amendments to the Labor Code. The project has also made significant progress in achieving the USAID Armenia FY2009 targets. The project has made significant progress in achieving the targets, including the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the social insurance system, the improvement of the quality of employment services, and the improvement of the overall well-being of the Armenian population. The project will continue to work towards achieving its objectives, including the strengthening of the social insurance system, the improvement of the employment services, and the improvement of the social assistance programs.