There is no legislative 'framework': the government is expected to present specific bills on the protection of children's rights
Thousands of children in Ukraine have become internally displaced persons and ended up abroad. Another 1.5 million children live under temporary occupation, and nearly 20 thousand, according to official data, have been deported or kidnapped by Russia.
As noted by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine has already become a pioneer in many areas of childhood protection during wartime. In particular, it has scaled up remote learning for millions of children during the war, is building underground schools as a new safety standard, creating protocols for mass psychological rehabilitation, and working on the reintegration of children after deportation and occupation.
However, this is not a reason for pride.
"This is a responsibility. And that is why the framework of the European Child Guarantee is needed right now — so that all this experience is not scattered among ministries but becomes a state system," the Verkhovna Rada stated.
It was also separately emphasized that quality education is impossible without decent pay for teachers, and social problems of children and teachers are interconnected.
It is noted that the low level of teachers' salaries actually affects the quality of the educational process, as "child poverty and teacher poverty are parts of the same system."
The issue of deinstitutionalization was also raised. It is stressed that abandoning the boarding system is the right step, but the state must realistically assess its capabilities regarding the development of a network of foster families. Attention should also be paid to the creation of a single central body that will coordinate policy in the field of child rights protection.
At the same time, the need to specify government plans in the field of child rights protection arises.
"There is a government program. The national plan until 2030 has been approved. That is good. But without a list of necessary bills, it remains a theoretical document without a legislative framework. My colleagues and I are waiting for a specific list: which bills are necessary to implement this plan, in what sequence, and within what deadlines they should be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. The parliament is ready to work," the Verkhovna Rada emphasized.
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