All-Russia congress of children’s rights commissioners opens in Kazan

VI Congress of Children's rights commissioners in RF subjects has opened at the Kazan City hall. President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation Pavel Astakhov addressed participants and guests of the event. He thanked the Tatarstan leadership and personally President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov for organisation of congress at a high level.

According to Pavel Astakhov, different issues will be discussed at the event. The first day will be dedicated to the National strategy of actions for the benefit of children in the Russian Federation 2012-2017.

Tomorrow, participants of the congress will discuss concept of the federal target program “Russia without orphans”. Seminar for commissions for juvenile affairs of the federation subjects will be held on the third day.

Pavel Astakhov read out greetings on behalf of the Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov addressed attendees with welcoming speech. He stressed that a reliable protection of children’s rights and interests and opportunities provided for younger generation to realize their skills depend on meaningful work of children's rights commissioners.

Rustam Minnikhanov informed that the republican interdepartmental program “Children of Tatarstan” had been realized in Tatarstan since 1998. Owing to this program, complicated problems of children’s legal protection, their education and health are solved.

Good demographic rates 2011 demonstrate results of activity of the republican leadership in the sphere of children’s protection. Within five years the birth rate has increased by 37.6 %. Such figures have been achieved due to health care modernization, including reconstruction of the Children’s republican clinical hospital, the fifth biggest children’s hospitals in Russia.

Another project realized in 2011 was the program aimed at liquidation of the queuing system at kindergartens. Thus, 13 thousand places have been provided at kindergartens, 29 new kindergartens constructed under the program “Belekech”, more than 3 bln roubles allocated for the program implementation.

Moreover, the strategy of education development “Kilechek” is being realized in republic in order to provide affordable, high-quality and modern education for children.

The Tatarstan President emphasized that the republican leadership pays special attention to orphans. 12 of 720 thousand children in republic are orphans.

Rustam Minnikhanov wished children's rights commissioners fruitful work at the congress and success in their noble mission.

Pavel Astakhov presented the badge “For selfless labour in child protection mission” to Rustam Minnikhanov and the letter of gratitude to Vice-premier of the Tatarstan Government Asgat Safarov.

Pavel Astakhov made report on main tasks faced by children's rights commissioners, key problems and policy threats in respect of children.