
One of the reasons for such number of homeless people in Azerbaijan is poverty. This opinion expressed in an interview with Turan the national coordinator of the NGO Alliance for Children's Rights, Nabil Seidov. Another reason is large families whose children leave their homes in regions because of poverty, and go to Baku where they beg money or are exploited. Despite the large number of bioarding schools, there is not a rela mechanism for the rehabilitation of street children, the expert said. "We have raised this issue in the alternative report sent to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 2005 and 2011," he said.
Commission for Minors operating in the regional executive bodies have not been adapted to the realities of life.
There is a large number of government agencies on this issue, but their activities are not effective. Therefore, the commission in the district authorities should be reformed, and not to act on a voluntary basis. There is a need for special structures, independent institution with social workers, and psychologists. There are very few rehabilitation centers for homeless children, and most of them Baku and other cities.
The number of shelters are very few - "Umid Yeri" orphanage and the Association for the children of Azerbaijan. In Yasamal district thert is a has a center "During the day", but there is no place to spend night.
The state provides limited financial assistance to these centers , so children there are only provided accommodation and meals. There are not taken measures to rehabilitate children, return them to the school, reintegration into the family, and so on.
Another problem is the lack of children's ombudsman in Azerbaijan, a country where ther are 3.5 million children. According to various estimates, in Azerbaijan there are approximately 2,000 homeless children, and about 500-600 of them are in Baku. It is necessary to develop a general program covering juridical, psychological, social and financial aspects of the solution to the problem of street children, said Nabil Seyidov. -03В/06-
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