Child rights month declared in Azerbaijan
By Vugar Khalilov
Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva has declared the period from 20 October to 20 November 2021 the Child Rights Month in Azerbaijan
In an appeal on the announcement of the Child Rights Month on October 20, Aliyeva said the decision is dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the report added.
“The aim of this month-long campaign is to increase attention and care for children, to ensure the realization and more effective protection of children's rights,” she said.
Commenting on Armenia’s crimes during last year's 44-day war, the rights commissioner added that over 10 children were killed, 50 were wounded and many children lost their parents during Armenia's heavy artillery shelling of Azerbaijani civilian settlements.
“At the same time, the targeting of civilian objects, the destruction of many residential areas, education and health facilities have led to violations of children's education, health, and other rights. Furthermore, the intense fire caused psychological trauma to the children,” she added.
The ombudsman office prepared a special report on the loss of children as a result of Armenia’s military attacks on Azerbaijani civil settlements and submitted it to the international organizations, Aliyeva said.
“At the same time, I have sent appropriate statements and appeals to the international organizations and relevant bodies regarding the violated rights and freedoms of children victims of these war crimes, and called on the world community to properly assess this injustice in the legal field,” Aliyeva stressed.
She noted the negative impact of the COVID-19 infection on children’s health and education.
She added the closure of educational and other institutions, children’s creative centers, and limited meetings with parents, increased domestic violence due to psychological stress in families, and other similar factors negatively affected the development of children.
As a part of the campaign, the ombudsman office held several awareness-raising activities such as competitions, exhibitions and carried out other activities together with central and local executive bodies, civil society organizations, mass media, and community members, Aliyeva underlined.
Speaking about the state’s role in the field, she added that Azerbaijan has undertaken several commitments by joining the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted on 20 November 1989, national legislation was improved and important measures were taken to protect the children’s rights.
The “Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Children for 2020-2030” was approved by President Ilham Aliyev on June 2, 2020, and the relevant government agencies have been instructed to take measures to ensure the effective protection of the children’s rights through the “Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for Children for 2020-2025” approved by the presidential order dated 27 November 2020, Aliyeva said.
The rights commissioner called on organizations involved in ensuring, promoting and protecting children’s rights to join the Month of Children’s Rights and ensure their direct participation in all activities related to children, following special quarantine rules.
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