The National Assembly has held a discussion on the role of parliament as warrant to the rights of children and in support of vulnerable children and families. The initiative came on the part of the parliamentary Labor and Social Policy, Healthcare and Education, Science, Children, Youth and Sports Committees and the UNICEF Office in Bulgaria.

The chairman of the Education, Science, Children, Youth and Sports Committee Ognyan Stoichkov greeted the participants on behalf of the National Assembly President Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva. In her opening address to the participants she points out that for the third time this year the Bulgarian parliament hosts a broad public discussion dedicated to the care of Bulgarian children. She explains that the Children’s draft Law as well as the draft Law on the Preschool and School Education were put under detailed preliminary discussions and a large number of the opinions of the experts and the representatives of the civil society were taken into consideration.

“Among the large scope of issues and problems related to the care of children I would outline only the key, innovative ones, the ones which are leading in the undertaken policies. Namely – creating conditions to decrease child poverty by an unconditional and decisive support for the families in need, the provision of quality education and healthcare. Diminution of children’s poverty is among the key priorities of the Europe’s Program 2020 and an important item in the National Program for Reforms of the Republic of Bulgaria set up for the implementation of this strategy” writes Tsetska Tsacheva.

At the discussion’s opening Kirsi Madi, the UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for Central and East Europe and CIS, has noted that the members of parliament have the authority and responsibility to improve the life of children and that parliaments should refer to them while working out the policies of their concern. According to her, poverty is not a problem of poor countries only anymore.

The UNICEF Representative for Bulgaria Tania Radochai addressed the audience as well. Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the role of the national parliament in the interparliamentary cooperation in support of the policies related to the rights of children, the necessary legal amendments for the implementation of these policies and the programs for children and families.

The meeting-discussion was attended by deputies, representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, of UNICEF Bulgaria and of nongovernmental and civil organizations.