08 June 2004 15:54
Russian orphans` activists condemn proposed changes to benefits law
[Presenter] The State Duma will consider a draft law replacing in-kind benefits with cash compensation on 9 July,
Oleg Morozov, a deputy speaker said. This will be the first reading, with the third and final reading due on 3
August.
Meanwhile, orphans and children without parental care could be deprived of all benefits. The concept of the law is
the government's and the Duma is planning amendments to it. Yuliya Kosilova reports.
[Correspondent] The government is proposing that concessions for orphans be replaced with cash compensation. Although
just who will pay them is unclear. As it drafted its amendments to the law, the government simply ignored this issue.
But it is known that the law will cancel the concession of free places for orphans on preparatory courses [for higher
education], the newspaper Russkiy Kuryer writes. It notes that the cancellation of these privileges will only make the
situation worse. People leaving children's homes are poorly prepared for life. If they are simply given money, they
might spend it not on education but on something else and will then be unable to continue learning.
The situation regarding free travel could also change. The new wording of the law says, and I quote, free travel
could be provided. Which means that in some cases it could be withheld. It all depends on officials as they will decide
who gets free treatment and who has to pay for tickets to go on holiday.
The amendments on guarantees for orphans take up an entire 600 pages. But not one of them resolves the main issue for
these young people - housing.
[Presenter] According to Russkiy Kuryer, there are about 60,000 orphans or young people without parental care in
Russia. The state cannot supply them with the housing that they are due by law. As a result, they have to spend years on
waiting lists. In Moscow the city authorities have always looked after orphans, we were told by Yelena Rukina, a member
of the city legislature and co-chair of the Parental Care movement. She said that if the law is passed as it is, the
situation of orphans could take a significant turn for the worse.
[Rukina] We've been looking after the rights of orphans without reference to federal legislation. We've
been housing them. There are various rules that mean minors cannot acquire housing in their own names. We've also
been building hostels in the city, not only for Moscow children. That is, we've always been doing something. We,
and I personally, just can't get our heads around what we're hearing. We're dealing here with the most
defenceless of people and this is the treatment proposed for them. At the moment we have city authorities who will in
any event stand up for these people, these children. But the authorities might change and in future apply federal
legislation.
The country's future depends on how it looks after its children, we were told by the head of the Children's
Rights programme, Boris (?Alshuler).
[Alshuler] Fifteen thousand leave children's homes and enter the wider world every year in Russia. These are
orphans raised in children's establishments. They are not ready for life. They are de-facto thrown out onto the
streets, without any rights, and have to find shelter in hostels. MPs don't give a damn about the future of Russia.
They only care about where they can save a bit of money on benefits for the budget. The savings are piffling. But for an
orphan, it's a heavy blow. [Passage omitted]
[Ekho Moskvy radio] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
