Strategic discussion “Children 2025” to take place on International Children’s Protection Day

On 1 June this year, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., an online strategic discussion entitled "Children 2025", organised by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Welfare, will take place in honour of International Children’s Protection Day.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns emphasises the importance of the strategic discussion: "Protecting children’s rights is a task that must be carried out every day, not merely a celebration on 1 June. It is our duty to ensure a living environment conducive to children’s development, based on the human rights principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This year, on International Children’s Protection Day, a particularly engaging debate-style discussion on issues concerning the future development of our country will take place, with children’s rights protection policy playing a central role. I invite everyone to follow the discussion!”

Minister of Welfare Ramona Petraviča notes: “Children are the cornerstone of our country—a long-term national value. It is the shared responsibility of adults to ensure that every child in this country feels loved, needed and cared for—and at the heart of this is a stable, socially and economically independent family. The State, in turn, is responsible for strengthening and supporting both existing and prospective families when necessary. The Ministry of Welfare’s aim is to establish long-term cooperation between sectors and improve the quality of the services provided. Developing and implementing systemic solutions cannot be the responsibility of a single ministry, institution or organisation.”

The discussion will be opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns and Minister of Welfare Ramona Petraviča. It will be attended by heads and leading specialists from the State Audit Office, the State Probation Service, the State Police, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, the Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre, the State Inspectorate for Protection of Children’s Rights and non-governmental organisations.

The discussion will focus on four main priorities for the next development period:

1. reform of orphan’s and custody courts;

2. embedding the principle of the child’s best interests in Latvian legal practice;

3. changing the concept of children’s administrative liability;

4. implementation of the Children’s House project.

The discussion is also expected to present the results of a previously conducted opinion survey concerning various child rights protection issues.

The discussion will be broadcast on the Ministry of Justice’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, as well as on the Ministry of Welfare’s Facebook page.

Information prepared by:

Ministry of Justice

Communications and Technical Support Division

Public Relations Specialist