Caretaking and Guardianship Bodies Lack Necessary Preparedness: Ombudsman

Immediately following the publication of information regarding child abuse in Tavush Province of Armenia, the Human Rights Defender initiated an investigation process. Comprehensive professional discussions have taken place.

As evident from the currently available materials, the abuse against children has been ongoing. Sadly, this instance of violence within the family resulted in a tragic outcome; a 6-year-old child passed away in the hospital without regaining consciousness.

Violence against children is a gross violation of their rights that can lead to irreversible and even tragic consequences for the child's life and health, completely distorting their healthy development.

Our state is obliged to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of children from violence, whether it is perpetrated by parents, guardians, or any other person responsible for their care. Children must be protected from all forms of physical or psychological violence, including beatings, insults or abuse, ridicule or neglect, rough treatment or exploitation, and so on.

Unfortunately, violence against children, especially domestic violence, is a hidden phenomenon. This is facilitated by the existing stereotypical perceptions regarding this issue within society and public bodies. State-operated agencies are obliged to combat this condemnable phenomenon with greater effort as a priority mission.

The Human Rights Defender strongly condemns violence against children, including when it occurs within families. Particularly reprehensible is violence against vulnerable children, who, by virtue of their status, require greater protection.

We must all realize that violence directly undermines family values, disrupts the child's right to live in a family, and contradicts the essence of the child's best interests.

It is deeply concerning that there is a lack of effectiveness in the activities of the Caretaking and Guardianship bodies related to disclosing cases of violence against children and informing about children in difficult situations.

The Caretaking and Guardianship bodies lack the necessary professional preparedness to properly perform their functions in ensuring the protection of children's rights in the community. The bodies operating at the community level are of primary importance in ensuring the child's right to protection from all forms of violence.

This specifically refers to the Caretaking and Guardianship bodies, whose activities should be directly connected to the social-psychological and health well-being of children.

The Human Rights Defender has consistently raised concerns about the condemnable state of the Caretaking and Guardianship bodies, the absolute ineffectiveness of their functions, and dangerous manifestations. This has been done through annual reports as well as the urgent public report titled “On Caretaking and Guardianship Bodies and Commissions.”

There are systemic and legislative problems both in the field of disclosing and preventing violence against children within families and in handling such cases. Both the practice and legislation do not allow for effective protection of children subjected to violence in families, full disclosure, and prevention of possible future incidents.

It is necessary to improve the rapid response of law enforcement agencies, as well as to ensure their required specialization and inter-agency cooperation at the community level.

Any investigation of such cases should not be limited to case-by-case examinations. The reasons and contributing conditions for the commission of such acts should be thoroughly analyzed, with the consideration of taking preventive measures and improving the system to ultimately eliminate any violence against children or, generally, any gross violations of rights against individuals.

The Human Rights Defender has addressed relevant letters to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia, the Police of Armenia, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, the Tavush Regional Administration, and the Head of the Khachaturak community.

The Defender will continue to monitor the steps taken by the state regarding this case and the condition of children's rights protection within his jurisdiction.