Celebration of International Children's Day serves to emphasize the importance of the protection of the rights of the child and to raise awareness of the general public.

Despite the significant positive changes achieved in the country, including the deinstitutionalization of large-scale residential institutions for children, there are still many challenges in terms of the unwavering protection and realization of the rights of all children.

One of the most important challenges is the prevention of violence against children, identification of alleged cases of violence and appropriate response to it. In this direction, it is necessary to inform the society, especially the children themselves, about the forms of violence, as well as protection and rehabilitation mechanisms.

It remains to be emphasized that the programmes operating in the country are insufficient to meet the needs of families with children living in poverty, to provide them with long-term support and to increase their social functioning, so that they can later live independently. The lack of specialists of helping professions and the provision of rehabilitation services to children also remain a challenge.

In order to ensure the safety and needs of children, it is important to develop a child-centered and systemic approach, to strengthen coordination and to introduce possible additional services, including, and especially, for children living in state care, minors in conflict with the law and children with mental health needs.

I wish every child to live in an environment and conditions, where their best interests are protected, maximum support is provided for their development ,their full involvement is ensured in the decision-making process, their opinions are considered and their opinions are taken into account.

In order to achieve the mentioned goal, the Public Defender’s Office will continue to study individual and systemic challenges and to reflect them in the parliamentary or special reports, develop recommendations, identify and advocate best practices.