Children's Legal Aid Day
25.11.2022
On November 20, Legal Aid to Children Day is held annually in our country. Traditionally, on this day, state bodies and officials, public organizations related to the protection of the rights of minors hold events to provide free legal assistance and legal education to children. PASO lawyers took an active part in them.
On November 18, 2022, an expanded meeting of the commission on demographic and family policy for veterans and disabled people was held in the Public Chamber of the Samara Region, timed to coincide with World Children's Day and the annual All-Russian Day of Legal Aid to Children. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Public Organization of Foster Families of the Samara Region, the Acting Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Samara Region, as well as PASO lawyers: PASO Vice-President Borodin A.V., members of the PASO Council Yeremina Yu.V., Ivanova T.D. , member of the PASO Qualification Commission Zhdanov I.A., lawyers Makhiyanova E.A., Verkhova E.A. Using the Zoom platform, the meeting was attended by representatives of various forms of life arrangement for orphans, children left without parental care (foster parents, guardians (trustees), foster care), heads of centers for helping children left without parental care, social shelters and social rehabilitation centers for minors in the Samara region. The event began with a welcoming speech by the Chairman of the Commission of the Public Chamber of the Samara Region, Director of the Charitable Foundation "Joy" Poldamasova S.I.
PASO lawyers answered questions received both from the leaders and teachers of organizations, and from the pupils themselves. The participants were interested in how to arrange guardianship, settle utility bills arrears made by the parents of the pupils, establish paternity ... There were also questions from children - what will happen for a false call to the police or a report of a terrorist attack, what is more important - rights or obligations, how to distinguish a fraudster from lawyer. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to form a manual from the answers to the most popular questions, which the leaders and teachers of social institutions can be guided by in solving similar problems of pupils. An agreement was reached to continue and develop cooperation between the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region and the Public Chamber, the Commissioner for Children's Rights, as well as orphanages of the Samara Region in the framework of legal education of pupils, projects for their mentoring and post-boarding support, and others.
PASO Vice President A.V. Borodin:
“Participation in such events gives an understanding that answering one question does not mean solving a problem that has arisen for a child or the center where these children live. Lawyers offered systemic assistance, and the participants of the HQS actually launched a program called legal mentoring. Its essence boils down to the fact that the child care center will have a legal mentor in the person of a specific lawyer and the staff of the center will solve complex legal issues together with him. Together with the Commissioner and S.I. Poldamasova, we determined that the pilot project would start with four institutions: two in Samara and one each in Togliatti and Novokuibyshevsk. The center will be coordinated by the Joy Charitable Foundation.
Member of the PASO Council Yu.V. Eremina:“Participation in the event on November 18 in the Public Chamber of the Samara Region made it possible to answer legally significant questions of leaders and teachers, as well as pupils.
A stratum was given to the new program - legal mentoring.
The project is a socially significant event that provides an opportunity to solve complex legal issues thanks to a mentor. The mentor, represented by a specific lawyer, is ready to provide legal assistance in the institution assigned to him. I believe that such projects are extremely necessary in modern society, since increasing legal literacy is very important.”
Member of the PASO Qualification Commission I.A. Zhdanov:
“Carrying out preventive work with children is of great importance. Speaking as a defense counsel in criminal cases, I see that, according to statistics, the level of juvenile delinquency in grave and especially grave crimes has increased in recent years. This happened not because the children got worse. Theft and hooliganism - obvious illegal acts - are clear to them. The norms of morality and the foundations of humanity are brought to them by teachers. But the deluded teenagers do not realize the sale of drugs, sincerely believing that they are engaged in courier work. This is what needs to be explained to the youth. That is why I take part in such events when you can communicate with the guys live. If a conversation with a lawyer saves at least one young life, then this is a good deed that does not require comment.
On the Day of Legal Aid to Children on the basis of the Samara Palace of Children's and Youth Creativity, a round table "Children's rights - a common concern" was held. The event was organized by the Regional School of Law and the Children's Public Council of the Samara Region. Among the experts who spoke to the schoolchildren were the Acting Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Samara Region Marina Vadimovna Tarasova, Deputy Head of the Department for Supervision of the Execution of Federal Legislation of the Prosecutor's Office of the Samara Region Alexander Sergeevich Russkikh, the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region was represented by a member of the PASO Council T.D. Ivanova. Each of the speakers spoke about the peculiarities of working in the profession and answered the questions of schoolchildren.
The lawyers of the bureau "Yablokov and Partners" held open lessons in law at schools No. 12, 16, 41, 42, 174 and gymnasiums No. 11 and Perspektiva. The children were told about the issues of bullying, the safety of behavior on the Internet, the skills of public speaking, the difficulties in the profession of a lawyer.
Center for free legal assistance "Astrea" under the guidance of lawyer Verkhova E.A. for two weeks before the Day of Legal Aid to Children, events were held at the Centers for Social Rehabilitation Centers for Minors and schools in Tolyatti.
All this makes it possible to jointly provide legal assistance to those in need and work on the legal education of the younger generation and the joint formation of the legal culture of young people.
PASO Press Center