About Children’s Rights Ombudsman
Institution in Lithuania
While putting into practice United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(ratified by Seimas of the Republic of
Lithuania on 14 March, 1996) statutes, the Seimas of the Republic of
Lithuania passed the Law on Fundamentals of Protection of the Rights of
the Child where all the fundamental rules of the Convention on the Rights
of the Child were transferred. According to the Art. 2 the fundamental
rights, freedoms and obligations of the child are established based upon
the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the 1959 United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the 1989 Convention on the Rights
of the Child, and other norms and principles of international law, while
taking into account the specific situation of the child within family and
society and national law traditions, fundamental rights, freedoms and
obligations of the child and the most important guarantees for the defense
thereof. This law shall also regulate the fundamental conditions in child
behavior control and liability thereof, establish parental liability and
that of other natural and legal persons for violations of the provisions
of the general rights of the child, the system of institutions for the
protection of the rights of the child and the legal principles of activity
thereof. On 25 May, 2000 Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania drafted, and
passed the Children’s Rights Ombudsmen Law with the legal purpose to
assure the implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in
Lithuania and to control state, local institutions, non-governmental
organizations and private individuals who’s acts or inactivities may
violate the provisions of the general rights of the child.
On the basis of the above mentioned Law
and the Decision of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Children’s
Rights Ombudsman was appointed on 1 September, 2000. An Ombudsman has the
right:
- to control the implementation of UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child;
- to influence adoption of new and
correction of already existing legal acts, concerning the protection of
the rights of the child;
- to investigate appeals from
individuals or judicial persons on state, governmental authorities, local
administration, their officers, non-governmental organizations and other
individuals or judicial persons whose actions or inactivities violate or
may violate the general rights and freedoms of a child;
- to gain the needed information
connected with child’s rights protection
- to start investigation on his/her own
initiative having information about violations of the provisions of the
general rights of the child;
- to have free access to all public and
private institutions for children.
- to participate and express his/her
opinion in Seimas and Governmental sessions where the question on children’s
rights protection is under discussion;
- other rights.
Duties. An Ombudsman shall:
- investigate applications received from
individuals or judicial persons because of state and local institutions,
their officers, non-governmental organizations acts or inactivities that
violate the provisions of the general rights of the child;
- supervise and control institutions for
children;
- periodically submit reports on the
protection of child’s rights and freedoms in Lithuania to the general
public and media;
- other duties.
Children’s rights Ombudsman
Institution is composed of:
- Children’s rights Ombudsman
- Ombudsman’s advisor
- Ombudsman’s assistants
- other officers.
It is foreseeable to have more advisors
and assistants in this institution, in order to organize the work by the
territorial principles ( districts). Such officers will help the Ombudsman
to carry his above mentioned duties and functions. The more concrete
region of activities will be expressed in institution’s work regulations
and in individual instructions.
