DUSHANBE, December 16, 2015, Asia-Plus — Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) today endorsed a bill amending the country’s Ombudsman law.
Under this bill, the position of Ombudsman for Children in created in Tajikistan.
The Ombudsman for Children is reportedly appointed by the President for a term of five years. Citizens who reached 35 years of age and have higher education are eligible to be appointed Ombudsman for Children.
The law sets a limit of two five-year terms for the Ombudsman for Children.
Parliamentarians noted that the Ombudsman for Children should attention to, first of all, problems facing more than 46,000 orphaned children and more than 2,600 children who remain out of school.
The Children”s Ombudsman, Children”s Commissioner, Youth Commissioner, Child Advocate, Children”s Commission, Children”s Ombudsman, Youth Ombudsman or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people, either in society at large, or in specific categories such as children in contact with the care system.
The agencies usually have a substantial degree of independence from the executive, and generally operate as specialized ombudsman offices or national human rights institutions, dealing with individual complaints, intervening with other public authorities, conducting research, and – where their mandate permits them to engage in advocacy – generally promoting children”s rights in public policy, law and practice. The creation of such institutions has been promoted by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and, from 1990 onwards, by the Council of Europe.
