Thousands of Reports Detail Latvia's Child Rights Violations

Last year, the Children’s Protection Centre (BAC) reviewed 1,741 submissions from individuals and legal entities regarding possible violations of children’s rights, which is 49% more than a year earlier, BAC Deputy Director Valentīna Gorbunova told journalists on Monday. She explained that these submissions were received by the BAC’s structural unit – the Child Rights Supervision Service. Reports were submitted by various institutions, including educational institutions, shopping centres, orphan’s courts and other bodies that had suspicions of possible violations of children’s rights. At the same time, 492 reports of potential violations were received directly from children via the BAC helpline and through communication with the centre’s specialists on social media. Last year, the BAC also assessed 156 cases involving possible physical or emotional abuse of children that occurred in state or municipal institutions. In 29 cases, penalties were imposed on the persons responsible for the violations. Meanwhile, BAC Deputy Director Anda Sauļūna emphasised to those present that claims circulating in the public space that the centre’s helpline receives only one or two calls per day are not true. Last year, a total of 8,437 telephone consultations were provided. In addition, in 1,264 cases last year, the BAC provided support to children via chats on social media platforms. The BAC is a direct administration institution under the supervision of the Minister of Welfare, responsible for overseeing and controlling compliance with legislation in the field of child protection and the work of orphan’s courts. Read also: Cartels seen by all, but no longer provable? Supreme court ruling shakes established practice