The representative on the rights of children of Volgograd region was appointed to the position accord ing to the Resolution of the Head of Administration of May, 8, 1998. The representative on the rights of children has the status of the Assistant of the Head of Administration of Volgograd region. It is a high enough status to make competent decisions in the children’s interests.

Until the representative works in the regime of "pilot project" with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), his activity is regulated by "Interim regulations about the representative on the rights of children of Volgograd region".

For the three years the activity of the representative of Volgograd region has brought concrete results in developing the system of perspective policy concerning the children in the region. The representative has become a coordinator of interdepartmental interaction, a key person in solving children’s problems, in revealing weak and wrong solutions, an initiator of many programs of children’s rights, liberties and interests protection.

There are 670 000 under-ages in Volgograd region, 4287 from them are orphans, 13982 – invalids, 7564 children lives in the families under the factor of social risk, 2435 children have committed a crime.

The representative on the rights of children who doesn’t have the own personnel has to work with all these groups. But the interactions with public organizations, with children’s and youth social unions gives good results.

Hundreds of families receive concrete specialist legal aid, there was organized "children’s hot line (phone of trust)", the problem of participation of the representative in courts for protection under-ages’ rights was solved, there were developed social legal programs "Child’s eyes behind bars", "Life-buoy", "Children to children" etc., realized together with children and students-volunteers.

The politics of the priority of children is forming in the region under active support of the governor. There was created the Council for Child’s Rights attached to the Administration of Volgograd region. Quarterly it investigates the most critical problems of the children.

The representative’s terms of reference cover attending (together with experts) specialized child institutions and revealing violation of children’s rules, providing consultations for institution’s administrations in legal problems, meetings with children themselves and acquainting them with the children’s rights in accordance with the Convention on the rights of the child.

In March 2001, on the representative’s initiative and with the support of UNICEF and Ministry of Labor and Social Development of Russian Federation, the all-Russian scientific-practical conference "Conceptual approaches to ensuring the rights of children at the regional level" was held in Volgograd region. 200 people from different regions of Russia, specialists in children’s protection took part in it. In October, 3, 2001 the interregional seminar "Rights of children in Russia. The right of the child to have a family: problems and prospects" is to be held in Volgograd. Over 200 participants are expected. New ways of placing children into families, the experience of different regions in it will be discussed.

Participation in developing laws takes an important place in the activity of the representative. On the representative’s initiative some changes concerning children-orphans were made in regional legislation and some changes in Family Code of Russian Federation were prepared and transmitted to State Duma.

Interactions with Mass Media gives very good results in acquainting people with the Convention on the rights of the child and in forming public opinion in defense the interests of children.

In connection with it the representative prepared some TV movies and programs, such as "My first right", "The right for a chance", "Legal protection of the childhood", "The Wall" etc. There have been issued booklets, leaflets, a tutorial "Legal principles of protection of the childhood" etc.

For more than a year there has been organized a wide activity for social and legal support for the children who have broken the law and who were convicted. There are several special organizations in Volgograd region such as Kamishinskaja children’s educational reformatory for over 300 under-ages; Oktiabrskaja special school for 70 boys at the age of 11-14, the Center of temporary isolation for minor delinquents with over 300 children passing through it per a year.

Last edited by Barneombudet March 22, 2004
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