UNICEF for children’s joining law-making

A joint workshop of the Azerbaijan parliament and the UNICEF in Baku, “The rights of the child: international commitments and national realities”, was held at the Milli Mejlis Wednesday.

Addressing the meeting, vice-speaker Govhar Bakhshaliyeva and chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission on social policy Hadi Rajabov said that Azerbaijan had been one of the first CIS countries to join the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the UN, in its turn, should heed the problems of refugee children and hostages in Azerbaijan.

MP Gular Ahmadova indicated that the state spends $900 a year to help raise each of disowned kids. She said it would be better if these children grew up in families and called on the UN to finance the issue.

UNICEF executive in Azerbaijan Akif Saatchioglu and spokesman for the UNICEF general staff Geert Cappelare suggested that children take part in law-making in parliament.*