On November 20, 2022, the inaugural session of Public Council on Children's and Youth Rights adjunct to the Human Rights Defender took place. It was followed by a question-and-answer session and a discussion between the members of the Council and representatives of state bodies.
The Human Rights Defender Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan, The Representative of UNICEF Armenia Christine Weigand, The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Vahram Dumanyan, Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Davit Hambaryan, the Deputy Head of the Juvenile Crime and Domestic Violence Prevention Unit of the Public Safety Protection Department of the Police, Colonel Artur Vardanyan participated in the question-and-answer session.
The members of the Council inquired about the work done by the Police and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport to combat bullying at schools, and about the programs implemented to provide sufficient conditions in the shelters in the schools.
During the question-and-answer session, the members of the Council raised questions about the existing issues in the field of inclusive education and referred to the difficulties faced by students with hearing and vision problems in educational institutions.
The other questions of the members of the Council were related to non-formal education, the participation of the youth in the development of the strategies in the sphere of education, the work conducted to make education accessible to children with disabilities, steps taken to positively change the attitudes of the youth towards the Police, issues related to persons suffering from homelessness, etc.
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The Public Council on Children's and Youth Rights adjunct to the Human Rights Defender is consisted of 21 members from all the provinces of Armenia. It was formed on the basis of pre-announced criteria. The Human Rights Defender’s Office was assisted by UNICEF Armenia during the process of the formation of the Council.
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