The system for protecting the rights of orphans in the Vitebsk region has noticeably improved - the prosecutor's office

Since the beginning of the year, thanks to the interaction between supervisory bodies and local authorities, the system for ensuring the protection of the rights of orphans in the Vitebsk region has significantly improved, noted Anton Volkov, Senior Assistant Prosecutor of the region.

"Children's safety is a priority area of our work. In particular, we pay close attention to compliance with legislation on guarantees for the social protection of children in orphan categories, as well as ensuring their safety during health resort treatment abroad," said Anton Volkov.

According to him, local authorities are also working on this. Thus, when organizing health resort treatment for orphans outside the country, the conditions of their stay will now be controlled not only by the sending organizations but also directly by the education department of the regional executive committee.

"The mechanism for selecting candidates as escorts has been improved; only the most prepared and responsible employees can become them. Requirements for sending children with priority rights for health resort treatment abroad have been tightened. Officials and heads of orphanages who failed to ensure adequate safety of children when traveling for health resort treatment, or who did not inform higher organizations about cases of improper treatment of children abroad, have been brought to disciplinary responsibility, and labor relations with one of the educators have been terminated," the interlocutor said.

Prosecutors conducted a monitoring of the observance of children's rights in substitute families, and additional protection measures were taken when registering those in need of improved housing conditions, and inspecting residential premises assigned to orphans.

In the Orsha, Tolochin, and Ushachi districts, the activities of family-type orphanages have been brought into compliance with the legislation; in the Sharkovshchina and Tolochin districts, children have been granted survivor's pensions. Other measures have been taken to protect orphans living in the region. In total, to protect the rights of children in orphan categories, the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office and prosecutors have issued 50 supervisory acts. For violations of the rights of children in orphan categories, 36 officials of educational institutions,

departments of education, sports and tourism, other employees of executive committees, heads of orphanages have been brought to disciplinary responsibility.

Ekaterina Knyazeva - BELTA.