-
« News
29/06/10
Ukrainian children are locked in institutions, vulnerable families are ignored -NGOs presented alternative view on children rights
GENEVA, 14 June - the Pre-sessional Working Group of the Committee on the Rights of the Child met in Palais Wilson, Geneva to conduct preliminary review and to examine supplementary and alternative information on the promotion and protection of children's rights in Ukraine. A pre-sessional working group of the Committee convened a private meeting with UN agencies and bodies, NGOs, and other competent bodies which have submitted additional information to the Committee.
The presentations from Ukrainian NGOs provided an opportunity to highlight issues of concern and make realistic recommendations.
Palais Wilson, Geneva Volodymyr Kyzminskyy, EveryChild Ukraine Country Director in his presentation stressed on vulnerability of children's rights to a family in Ukraine:
"Despite of reduction of children's population since 1991, the number of children in institutions is rising. In 2007 there were 285,8 children out of 100 000 population in big state institutions, which is 41% higher than in year 2000", - he said.
In his opinion among the main reasons for this is fragmentation of responsibilities between different ministries, lack of qualified services and support for vulnerable families, absence of clear monitoring system to transform child care system successfully:
"There is a strong need of proper management of changes and development of a clear vision of reform of child care system. State managed to provide basic services for children out of home care. But in order to move forward state has to stop its monopoly for service provision," - he added.
The purpose of the meeting is for NGOs, coalitions and IGOs to provide a constructive, critical analysis of the State party report and the actual situation in the country. This plays an important role in helping the Committee identify key issues and set priorities, which in turn contribute to the elaboration of a list of issues that is sent to the government. The list of issues is intended to give the Government a preliminary indication of the issues which the Committee considers to be priorities for discussion. The latter has to respond in writing to this list before the plenary session takes place.
The Committee also has the opportunity to request additional or updated information in writing from the Government prior to the session. This approach helps Governments better to prepare themselves for the discussion with the Committee, which usually takes place between 3 and 4 months after the working group.
