Lower childbirth benefits to affect birthrate in Armenia - MP

ArmInfo.  Armenia is reducing the amount of childbirth benefits for the first time, which contradicts the principle of state social responsibility. This was  announced on her Facebook page by Mane Tandilyan, leader of the  Country for Life party, in connection with the Armenian government's  adoption of a bill at its November 20 session revising the amount of  one-time childbirth benefits and the payment procedure.

The party leader recalled that during discussions, the government  decided to set the one-time childbirth benefit at 500,000 drams,  regardless of the child's order, effective September 2026. In this  regard, she noted that the birth rate in Armenia reached a record low  between January and September 2025. "The number of children born  during this period is the lowest in our recent history. Over the past  10 years, the decline has been 20%," Tandilyan added.

She also noted that under the current system, benefits for the first  and second child were 300,000 drams, for the third and fourth  children - 1,000,000 drams, and for the fifth and subsequent children  - 1,500,000 drams. "As a result of this change, benefits for the  birth of a third and subsequent child, which are crucial for  stimulating the birth rate, are being reduced by a factor of two to  three. This will have serious negative consequences for large  families and could exacerbate poverty," the party leader concluded.

As a reminder, on November 20, the Armenian government revised  legislation regarding the amount of one-time childbirth benefits and  the payment procedure. Thus, the one-time birth allowance will be set  (for children born after September 1, 2026) at 500,000 drams per  newborn (approximately $1,300), regardless of the order of birth.  This provision will apply to children born on September 1, 2026.  Commenting on this decision, Minister of Social Labor Arsen Torosyan  stated that the one-time birth allowance should not be perceived as a  reward based on the child's birth order, but rather as support for  the decision to become a parent or to have a large family.