11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Between 2 and 5 million homeless children; law enforcement officials reportedly often abused street children ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 11621]

"Estimates of the number of homeless children ranged from two million to five million. The Russian Statistics Committee (Rosstat) estimated that there were approximately 800,000 abandoned children in the country.

According to the Moscow Department of Social Security, 12 percent of street children who ended up in shelters had run away from orphanages or boarding schools. Law enforcement officials reportedly often abused street children, pinned the blame for otherwise unsolved crimes on them, and committed acts including extortion, illegal detention, and psychological and sexual violence against them. According to the Public Verdict Foundation, in 2005 prosecutors refused to bring charges in 80 percent of cases of alleged police misconduct involving street children; there was no information available on the situation during the year.

In October 2006 the Basmanniy Court of Moscow convicted three police officers of abusing and beating a 12-year-old boy in detention. The case was brought by the boy's parents with the assistance of Public Verdict lawyers. The officers were sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay the family $4,080 (100,000 rubles) compensation. The officers were not allowed to work in law enforcement for four years. "

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Child abuse was widespread problem, but majority of child abuse cases were not subject to legal action ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22695]

"Child abuse was a widespread problem, but the majority of child abuse cases were not subject to legal action. Children, particularly homeless children or orphans, were exploited in child pornography. Authorities viewed child pornography as a serious problem, and police and politicians have increasingly called for legislative improvements. Current laws against child pornography were inadequate to allow effective investigation and prosecution of pornography cases. (…)

The Moscow Human Rights Research Center estimated that approximately 50,000 children ran away from home annually to avoid domestic violence. The Moscow Helsinki Group indicated that each year approximately two million children under 14 years of age were victims of domestic violence. While there was some government attention to child abuse, it was generally not linked to the broader problem of domestic violence. "

Document(s): Open document

17.09.2007 - Source: Child Rights Information Network

According to Ombudsman for Moscow, despite efforts there is no systematic change in the protection of the rights of the child ("RUSSIA: Information on the protection of rights and interests of children in the Russian Federation") [ID 21378]

Document(s): Open document

30.01.2007 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

About 2,000 children live on Moscow's streets and tens of thousands of others are homeless across Russia ("2,000 Children 'Live On Moscow's Streets'") [ID 18585]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Government was committed to children's rights and welfare; however, the resources it devoted to the welfare of children were limited ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144], [ID 11620]

"The government was committed to children's rights and welfare; however, the resources it devoted to the welfare of children were limited. Children have the right to free education until grade 11 (or approximately age 17), and school is compulsory until approximately age 15 or 16. Primary education is compulsory, free, and, by law, universal. According to UNICEF statistics, 93 percent of school-age children attended school. The highest level achieved by most children was secondary education. Boys and girls were treated equally in the school system. While federal law provides for education for all children in the country, regional authorities frequently denied school access to the children of unregistered persons, including Roma, asylum seekers, and migrants (see section 2.d.).

Under the law health care for children is free; however, the quality varied, and individuals often incurred significant out-of-pocket expenses. More than five years after the start of the second conflict in Chechnya, much of that republic's social and physical infrastructure remains destroyed or seriously damaged. As a result, social services for children were inadequate, especially in the education, health and water, and sanitation sectors. These inadequacies, and the continued instability in the region, continued to threaten the health and well-being of children.

Although child abuse was a widespread problem, the majority of child abuse cases were not subject to legal action. The Moscow Human Rights Research Center estimated that approximately 50 thousand children run away from home annually to avoid domestic violence. The Moscow Helsinki Group indicated that each year approximately 2 million children under 14 years of age were victims of domestic violence."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Children and youths with disabilities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144], [ID 11622]

"The authorities generally segregated children with disabilities from mainstream society. A complex and cumbersome system has developed to manage the institutionalization of children until adulthood. Observers concluded that issues of children's welfare were lost within the bureaucracy, and little clear recourse existed in instances of abuse by the system. Human rights groups alleged that children in state institutions were provided for poorly and in some cases were physically abused by staff members. Life after institutionalization also posed serious problems; "graduates" often lacked the necessary social, educational, and vocational skills to function in society.

The assignment of categories of disability to mentally disabled children often followed them throughout their lives. The labels "imbecile" and "idiot," which are assigned by a commission that assesses all children with developmental problems at the age of three, and which signified that a child was uneducable, almost always was irrevocable. Even the label of "debil" – lightly retarded – followed an individual on official documents, creating barriers to employment and housing after graduation from state institutions. This designation was increasingly challenged in the case of children with parents or caregivers, but no one advocated for the rights of institutionalized children.

Youths with disabilities not in institutions faced significant barriers to education, including lack of access to schools. Education authorities often tried to keep youths with disabilities out of school due to lack of special programs. At the same time, the "home program" for children with disabilities was highly inferior to school classes. The majority of teachers and administrators in schools and universities had little or no understanding of disability issues. Parents of children without disabilities were often averse to their children studying with children with disabilities.

According to government reports, of approximately 400 thousand school-aged children with disabilities, approximately 170 thousand did not receive any education. Of the approximately 230 thousand who received an education, 137 thousand attended regular schools, 33,500 studied at home, and 60 thousand attended special schools. Because special schools comprised only 3 percent of all schools, most children with disabilities could not study in the community where they lived, were isolated from other members of the community, and received an inadequate education."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Government did not effectively implement laws and policies to protect children from exploitation in the work place ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144], [ID 11623]

"The government did not effectively implement laws and policies to protect children from exploitation in the work place. The law prohibits most employment of children under the age of 16 and regulates the working conditions of children under the age of 18, including banning dangerous nighttime and overtime work; however, the Federal Labor and Employment Service and the MVD, which are responsible for child labor matters, did not enforce these laws effectively. Children are permitted, under certain conditions and with the approval of a parent or guardian, to work at the age of 14. Such work must not threaten the health or welfare of the children. The Federal Labor and Employment Service, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Social Development, is responsible for routinely checking enterprises and organizations for violations of labor and occupational health standards for minors. In 2004 approximately 8,300 cases of child labor violations were reported. Most serious violations of child labor and occupational health standards were believed to occur in the informal sector. Local police investigations only occurred in response to complaints.

Accepted social prohibitions against employment of children and the availability of adult workers at low wages generally prevented widespread abuse of child labor. Nonetheless, children working and living on the streets remained a problem. Parents often used their children to lend credence to their poverty when begging or had them beg. Homeless children were at heightened risk for exploitation in prostitution or criminal activities (see section 5). Trafficking of children was also a problem (see section 5)."

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2006 - Source: Guardian

Report by general prosecutor's office on violations of law in state orphanages reveals catastrophic conditions in thousands of children's homes across country ("Russian orphanages spending less than a penny a day on each child") [#41728], [ID 11624]

Document(s): Open document

09.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Report on impact of school fees and related education costs, global HIV/AIDS epidemic, child exploitation, violence, discrimination and lack of access on child's right to education ("Failing Our Children. Barriers to the Right to Education") [#36521], [ID 11625]

Document(s): Open document

15.07.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Report focused on discrimination against HIV- positive mothers and their children ("Positively Abandoned: Stigma and Discrimination against HIV-Positive Mothers and their Children in Russia") [#34321], [ID 11626]

Document(s): Open document
Pressemitteilung zum Bericht

15.07.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Human Rights Watch report denounces discrimination and abuse of HIV-positive pregnant women, mothers and their children ("Russia: Report Denounces Discrimination Against Mothers and Children With HIV") [#34068], [ID 11627]

Document(s): Open document

03.06.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Serious gaps in the legislation concerning international adoption, concerns of trafficking ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation [Doc. 10568]") [#32710], [ID 11628]

"245. We have also been informed that there are serious gaps in the legislation concerning international adoption: according to Deputy Prosecutor General Kolesnikov, over the period between 2001 and 2003, the rate of adoption of Russian children by foreigners grew by 51%. Speaking at a hearing in the Duma on 15 November 2004, he said that unlawful adoption was a serious concern and that it had become a very profitable business: adopting a child in Russia costs up to 50 000 USD. Ratification of the European Convention on the adoption of children (ETS no. 58) would certainly be of assistance. Ambassadors of Council of Europe countries whom we met in Moscow in November also mentioned growing problems as regards enforcement of custody decisions. We note in this respect that Russia has neither signed nor ratified the European Convention on recognition and enforcement of decisions concerning custody of children and on restoration of custody of children (ETS no. 105)."

Document(s): Open document

25.02.2004 - Source: US Department of State

According to the Ministry of Labor, there were estimates from 100,000 to 5 million neglected children in Russia ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003") [#19737], [ID 11629]

"Figures for homeless children were unreliable. According to the Ministry of Labor, there were estimates from 100,000 to 5 million neglected children in Russia. In 2002, about 681,000 vagrant children were detained by law enforcement agencies, 2.5 times the 2001 rate. About 50,000 adolescents were on the local and federal wanted lists in 2002, 13.5 percent more than in 2001. The Russian Children's Fund estimated in 2001 that there were approximately 2.5 million children living on the street, although other estimates reached as high as 4 million; scientific studies used differing methodologies to count street children. During the year, Moscow authorities indicated that 40,000 working street children lived in the capital but claimed 80 percent were from places other than Moscow. In addition, there were approximately 3,000 young persons ageed 18 to 24 in Leningrad Oblast, most of them discharged from state institutions and given state housing, who had difficulty maintaining a residence and adapting to non-institutional life in general. Homeless children often engaged in criminal activities, received no education, and were vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse. Some young girls on the street turned, to or were forced into, prostitution in order to survive.

In the St. Petersburg region, local government and police ran various programs for homeless children and cooperated with local NGOs; however, resources were few and overall coordination remained poor. Local and international NGOs provided a variety of services for the homeless. Many Moscow charitable organizations have established productive relations with the city government to address the needs of children with disabilities, as well as other vulnerable groups. In St. Petersburg, the ILO opened a drop-in center for runaways and homeless children that continued to operate; Road to Light has a shelter there for abused girls and an independent living program for children in institutions to train them in life skills. The St. Petersburg NGO Citizens' Watch conducted seminars on legal and social aspects of the problem."

Document(s): Open document

02.10.2003 - Source: Amnesty International

Report on the law and human rights in the Russian Federation, focusing on few most vulnerable groups ( impunity under 'anti-terrorist' law, confinement of children with mental disability, abuse by riot squads, prisoners unprotected) ("Rough justice: The law and human rights in the Russian Federation") [#16435], [ID 11630]

Document(s): Open document

23.04.2003 - Source: International Relations and Security Network

Regional report (orphans, center-periphery relations, gubernatorial elections, business and politics) ("Russian Regional Report (Vol. 8, No. 6, 23 April 2003)") [#15919], [ID 11631]

Information on Russian orphans, in particular with regard to the situation in the city of Perm

"During the November 2001 Civic Forum meeting in Moscow, Russian non-governmental
organizations had a chance to make the authorities aware of the problems children face in
Russia. Soon the president began speaking about this issue, and following his lead,
numerous lower-level government bureaucrats joined in as well. One figure reveals the
extent of the problem: there are 700,000 orphans or children living without parental care
in Russia, according to official data. Unfortunately, officials from the president down
dealt with the problem in the old way: issuing orders to their subordinates to make a greater effort to find the orphans and give more money to orphanages. Little has changed
since the time of Felix Dzerzhinsky.
The Perm Civic Chamber (PGP), one of the region's strongest NGOs, decided to
try to influence the authorities to implement a new approach to dealing with this problem,
starting from their base in the Perm region. The group's idea was to conduct independent
research, develop a new way to help the orphans, and convince the oblast administration
of its effectiveness. The group carried out this work using its own resources and those of
the Moscow Public Science Foundation.
The PGP found that even in Perm, which is one of Russia's wealthier regions, the
ranks of orphans are continuing to grow. The number of children raised in orphanages
and boarding schools is also growing. Every year, about one third of the orphaned
children are housed in orphanages. At the same time, the number of children being sought
by the authorities has grown 60 percent in the last three years. Additionally, the number
of derelict parents grew 44 percent between 1999 and 2001.
PGP experts blame these conditions on the region's continuing reliance on old
ways of dealing with orphans. Administrative, financial, legal, personnel, and politicoideological
systems remain unchanged. Most troubling, there are essentially no real
preventive policies. As in the past, the main government response to dealing with orphans
is to send them to an orphanage. These institutions are mostly concerned with giving a
child food, clothing, and shelter. Such orphanages do not provide the children with the
education they need to survive in the real world. Once they leave the orphanage,
graduates often end up in prison after joining criminal gangs or surviving on the streets
among the homeless. Experts estimate that after ten years, no more than 10 to 20 percent
of the graduates are leading a normal life, while the rest are either dead or in prison.
The PGP came to the conclusion that it is necessary to dramatically change state
policy on orphans, switching from a system based on orphanages to family-centered
solutions.
On the basis of its research, the PGP developed a model reform for a regional
system designed to protect society from the problems caused by orphanages. Like a
handful of other regions, Perm has long experimented with alternative forms of taking
care of orphans. Perm built the first 13 family orphanages in 1989. Despite the many
problems with this initial model, the experience paved the way for further
experimentation. In 1996, the oblast adopted a law on foster (priyemnye) families. By the
beginning of 2002, there were 126 foster families taking care of 398 children. These
families receive special state support to pay for the education of the orphans they take in.
In 1998 Perm created some of the first patronatnyi families in the Russian
provinces. In this case, one of the parents, usually the mother, becomes an employee of
the orphanage, but the child continues to live at home. According to this arrangement, the
mother receives a salary plus some help in supporting her child. The employees of the
orphanage strictly monitor the child's progress. Now there are 160 such families
educating 500 children. Despite some successes in the use of this system, only about 10
percent of orphans live in patronatnyi homes.
An expert council chaired by Perm Deputy Governor Tatyana Margolina studied
the plan presented by the PGP. The administration's specialists were amazed at the depth
of the plan's proposals. Among the most convincing arguments for administration officials was that housing an orphan with a family cost only half as much as supporting a
child in an orphanage.
The PGP achieved its goal. The oblast administration adopted the group's model
as the basis for reform and invited the PGP to cooperate in further developments and
implementation.
Thanks to the political will of the oblast leadership, work is already under way
and there are considerable grounds to think that the plan will be successful. There is now
a community of specialists and administrators, a reasonably good legislative base,
positive results from early intervention, a good atmosphere for experimentation, and a
civic organization prepared to work with the authorities in dealing with these problems. -
Andrei Suslov in Perm"

Document(s): Open document

06.02.2001 - Source:

UN Commission on Human Rights: Child prostitution ("UN Commission on Human Rights (ECOSOC): Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Mission to the Russian Federation, 6 February 2001") [ID 11633]

"11. Sexual exploitation of children within the Russian Federation was reported to be a bigger problem than that of trafficking, and both governmental and non-governmental bodies agreed that within Russian society, prostitution is an accepted way of life. Prostitution is reportedly a widely developed business and, if the child is over 14, it is not considered to be a crime unless
violence is involved. As a result of this attitude towards prostitution, it is very difficult to gauge its magnitude.
12. Entry into prostitution was attributed primarily to the very difficult economic conditions and to sexual abuse within the family. NGOs estimated that over 50 per cent of child victims of sexual abuse suffered abuse from a family member and a large percentage of children in prostitution had previously been victimized in this way. There are also many cases of children having lived in institutions for several months or even years, leaving at the age of 18 with only very minimal education and social skills, and having nowhere to go. These youngsters are at particular risk of entry into prostitution.
13. Once a child has entered prostitution, his or her activities often become controlled by mafia networks. Given the societal acceptance of this way of life, many children, mainly girls, see prostitution as almost a prestigious career. NGOs reported seeing both boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 19 prostituting themselves quite openly to older men around the metro stations of Moscow. Where pimps are providing the children for prostitution, the pimps’
earnings can exceed 200 dollars per day, but much of this amount then has to be shared with other individuals as “protection” money.
14. The Special Rapporteur was advised of one case in which a boy travelled to Moscow from another region and found work as a shop assistant. He was raped by the shop owner and then given money to keep quiet about the attack. He realized that prostitution would be a more lucrative way of earning and started to prostitute himself regularly."

Document(s): UN Commission on Human Rights (ECOSOC): Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Mission to the Russian Federation, 6 February 2001