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The focus of attention of the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs has always been and continues to be the problems of the rights of children and ways of their solution.

On June 30, the Committee Chair Taguhi Tovmasyan met with the UNICEF representative in Armenia Christine Weigand and the Head of the Communication Division Zaruhi Sargsyan.

Welcoming the guests in the National Assembly of Armenia, Taguhi Tovmasyan presented the work by the Committee carried out in the sphere of protection of the rights of children.

She informed that an application was sent to the Supreme Judicial Council regarding the limitation of access to personal data related to cases of violence again children on the internet.

“Many videos of cases of violence against children are spread on the internet, which first of all has a negative effect on their psychology,” the Chair of the Standing Committee said and added that it is inadmissible.

Christine Weigand, noting that the UNICEF cooperates with the Government of Armenia, the National Assembly and NGOs, informed that the organization has been implementing a five-year strategic plan since October last year. Priority is given to educational reforms, from early childhood education to high schools, as well as the protection of children, the exclusion of cases of violence against them, social support for families with difficulties.

“Within the framework of the five-year strategic plan, the UNICEF works with the RA Government on four main priorities, including general education and early childhood education, healthcare and nutrition, social protection issues, especially services available to vulnerable families, as well as issues related to child protection. At the same time, we will address two new fields, that is, the problems and needs of adolescents and young people, from psychological health to development and participation in public life, as well as climate change mitigation,” noted Christine Weigand.

Taguhi Tovmasyan stressed the importance of cooperation with the UNICEF. She proposed to visit border communities with the representatives of the structure in the near future to get acquainted with the problems of protection of the rights of children and their daily life on spot.

Christine Weigand welcomed the idea of visiting a border community and noted that the foundation works so that children have the same opportunities in the remote, border, as well as enlarged communities as in other settlements of the republic.

Many other issues related to the field were discussed at the meeting.