Minister Zeynalyan participates in conference entitled ''End Violence against Children''

Today, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Artak Zeynalyan participated in a conference entitled ''End Violence against Children'', which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan; UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative for the Republic of Armenia Shombi Sharp; Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Healthcare and Social Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Hakob Hakobyan; Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Mane Tandilyan; Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Arman Tatoyan and others participated in the meeting.

Touching upon the prevention of violence against children, provision of priority assistance, justice and the ensuring of availability of services, Minister Zeynalyan noted that the issue is an issue on the agenda of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and is related to all the visible and invisible spheres of state and public life. “The solutions to these problems require new co-operative approaches and preventive and responsive solutions to the existing issues through joint efforts at a new, effective and qualitative level. With this regard, the Ministry of Justice undertook the implementation of a systemic, long-term programme that is based on the development of mechanisms for ensuring the best interest of every child,'' the Minister said and attached importance to the role of the Council for Juvenile Justice established with the active support of partners and the UNICEF in 2015. The Minister emphasised that, as a result of the activities carried out and joint efforts made through the Council in 2017, the Republic of Armenia has joined the WePROTECT Global Alliance global partnership network. The Minister noted with satisfaction that the steps of the Ministry being implemented in the field of prevention of violence against children have already yielded specific tangible results. The adoption of the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On prevention of violence and restoration of solidarity in family'', improvement of the Family Code, the draft Law “On making supplements and amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code”, as well as a number of related legal acts and legislative initiatives are considered as the legal basis for specific long-term undertakings based on which we must develop mechanisms and support schemes. Unquestionably, the legislation itself is not sufficient to achieve qualitative systemic changes in public life. Unfortunately, children become victims of violence in environments in which it is not always possible to ensure the best solutions through legal regulations. The best solutions are the change of social norms, the complex steps for development of the culture of positive parenting and care for and protection of children within our communities, which we undertake in co-operation with our partners. We must also attach importance to the professional potential, which needs to be strengthened, starting from prevention of violence and ending with protection against violence. We think that criminal justice bodies also need to be specialised,'' Minister Zeynalyan said.

“I would like to set aside, with satisfaction, the co-ordinated efforts of the Staff of the Human Rights Defender, justice authorities, police officers, as well as authorities in the social and educational sectors, communities and civil society in the field of prevention of violence against children. I am hopeful that there will be new developments and sustained continuity of the conference and the potential of international experts and our co-operation, expanding the scope of activities, pursuing the goal to resist the challenges of violence against children through collaborative and multifaceted activities and ensure the vision for happy childhood through legal and social mechanisms. Allow me to express my gratitude to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund for its assistance the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the joint activities and for promoting the expansion and development of international co-operation," the Minister concluded.