Civil society organizations engaged in protection of children’s rights addressed an open letter to the President, parliamentary deputies, and the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan. The members of the Public Foundations announced at a press conference.
«We are looking forward to drawing your attention to the need to speed up adoption of the draft new version of the Children’s Code and package bills to it. Further delay in adoption may lead to deterioration of situation of children, their safety and respect for their rights. The Prosecutor General’s Office already reports on the growth of crimes and misconduct against children,» Gulnara Sheishekeeva, Director of the Center of Law Public Foundation said.
At least 98 suicides have been committed among children in 2020. At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 1,463 cases of domestic violence and 129 cases of violence and cruelty against children were identified.
The PF members noted that the sharp deterioration in the situation of children is the result of the lack of effective measures to prevent crimes against children, the lack of a system for identifying children in difficult life situations and providing them with timely assistance.
A working group was created in 2017 consisting of deputies, representatives of law enforcement, judicial authorities, experts from organizations working with children, scientists and specialists. For two and a half years, the group summarized the problems of child protection in Kyrgyzstan and developed a package of bills, including a new version of the Children’s Code.
«However, consideration of bills proposed to improve the child protection system is endlessly postponed, long behind the schedule prescribed in the regulations. The further the reform of the child protection system is postponed, the higher the cost of inaction,» Nazgul Turdubekova, Director of the Child`s Rights Defenders League noted.
