National Preventive Group continues visits to state child care facilities

Members of the National Preventive Group (NPG) of the Ombudsman carried out a visit to Sheki city Integrated training gymnasium of boarding school type under the Ministry of Education without prior notice.

The visit was aimed at investigating the issues about living conditions of children studying and residing in the facility and treatment of the staff towards them, as well as the status of ensuring children’s rights.

During the visit, members of NPG, representative of the UNICEF and social work specialist monitored all the objects, including bedrooms, classroom and rehabilitation rooms, canteen, space for organizing leisure time and common area.

In order to investigate the treatment issues, the children in the institution, administration of the facility, teachers and medical workers were privately interviewed; the existing situation was learnt.

It was identified that there is a need to repair the common area and sanitary unit, to improve conditions of living and to organize awareness raising for the staff.

Within the framework of the visit, members of NPG also held legal awareness-raising discussions for administration of the facility and the staff members on the basis of national legislation and international legislation regarding conditions of living and treatment issues, as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.