Results of study on violence against children made public

The parties brought to the light the anticipated report on violence against children in state-run institutions in Kazakhstan which was produced within the Memorandum between the Ombudsman's Office and UNICEF in Kazakhstan, the press release of the UNICEF in Kazakhstan reads.

The study pursued to test the new ways for detection and monitoring of violence against children, violence-caused harm and to obtain a comprehensive analysis on violence in child residential institutions of Kazakhstan.

"Regrettably, violence against children is a phenomenon one can find in any country. Violence is not justifiable but preventable. I feel confident that Kazakhstan is all set to establish a child protection system which would serve the excellence model for Central Asia, " UNICEF Deputy Representative in Kazakhstan Mr Radoslaw Rzehak stated.

"The Ombudsman's Office in Kazakhstan, state bodies and civil society are jointly developing a preventive mechanism to counteract and deter torturing, abuse as well as prevent violence against children, " the head of the Ombudsman's Office for Human Rights in Kazakhstan Mr Kaluzhniy said at the presentation.

Representatives of the Child Protection Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan, specialists from the Ministries of Health, Labour and Social Protection put forward their ideas to prevent and eradicate violence against children in institutions falling within their competence. The Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan has also voiced their stance.

Among attendees of the event were Members of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Representatives of Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, state bodies, international and non-governmental organizations, the academia, diplomats of European countries accredited in Astana, international experts and the mass media.

Following the results of the discussions all the suggestions and recommendations offered by the participants will be consolidated and submitted to competent bodies with an eye to improve the situation in residential institutions for children.