He additionally despatched a letter to PtD on the matter and as Mrs. Michailidou mentioned “I didn’t get any response”.
The problem of the understaffing of her Workplace was identified by the Commissioner for the Safety of Youngsters's Rights, Despo Michailidou, throughout the session of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, the place the funds of her Workplace for 2025 was mentioned on Friday.
Presenting the funds of her Workplace, Mrs. Michailidou mentioned that it’s elevated, noting that “in the intervening time we have now a disaster within the Workplace with the problem of understaffing”. She acknowledged that letters have been despatched to each Parliament and the Ministry of Finance on the matter, explaining that the workers of her Workplace are on secondment with the consequence that presently 5 functionaries have left, because of the termination of their secondment.
He additionally mentioned that he additionally despatched a letter to the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulidis, on the problem of understaffing and the lack to carry out the supervisory function and duties of the Workplace for the Safety of Youngsters's Rights, and as Mrs. Michailidou mentioned, “I didn’t obtain any response.”
She additionally mentioned that her Workplace now has solely seven officers, whereas she will even buy companies, expressing her reservations as, as she mentioned, the free market isn’t happy with the salaries given, whereas many candidates would not have the {qualifications}. She additionally acknowledged that the independence of the establishment of her Workplace is required.
“We wish individuals with expertise and information of youngsters's rights and with a child-centered orientation and we can’t discover that simply out there” mentioned Ms. Michailidou and added that the 4 positions requested by the Workplace for the Safety of Youngsters's Rights have been authorized by Parliament, haven’t been unfrozen by the Ministry of Finance presently.
Mrs. Michailidou mentioned that on the problem of understaffing, the Workplace reported the actions of the Ministry of Finance to the European Community of Ombudsmen for Youngsters (ENOC – the Workplace of the European Commissioners) “and we talked about that on this manner the independence of the establishment and subsequently our ineffectiveness and subsequently that we can’t management the chief energy as is our obligation”.
The President of the Parliamentary Finance and Finances Committee, Christiana Erotokritou, requested Ms. Michaelidou whether or not the acquisition of companies may very well be an answer/device, since recruitment procedures within the public sector are delayed, with Ms. Michaelidou answering that the free market isn’t happy with the quantities provided. She added that if the payroll adjustments to the free market, the funds of her Workplace must change as properly.
DISY Member of Parliament, Savia Orfanidou, raised the problem of juvenile shelters and juvenile detention services, with Mrs. Michailidou answering that the problem of youngsters's shelters is being studied over time and there have been visits and conferences with the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare. He acknowledged that he has began a pilot program specializing in multi-thematics in Nicosia. Concerning the youngsters with a burdensome historical past, Mrs. Michailidou mentioned that there must be shut cooperation with the institutional officers. In relation to the locations of detention for minors, Mrs. Michaelidou mentioned that the positions have been raised by the Workplace to the Ministry of Justice with the Laws presently within the Parliament.
For his half, AKEL Member of Parliament, Christos Christofidis, knowledgeable the Commissioner for the Safety of Youngsters's Rights concerning the proposed regulation submitted by AKEL to criminalize little one pornography produced with synthetic intelligence or different fashionable technological means. The Commissioner replied that it’s the route of the European Workplace of Commissioners for the rights of the kid, to take such measures, together with measures for prevention and correct coaching of youngsters. “The first factor is that the youngsters should be educated with packages and experiential workshops within the essence of intercourse training,” mentioned Ms. Michailidou.
For his half, the AKEL Member of Parliament, Andreas Kavkalias, after the top of the Committee and in addition inside, acknowledged that the weakening of the Workplace of the Commissioner for the Safety of Youngsters's Rights is primarily a political situation. He defined that this constitutes a deficit of democracy and a violation of the rights of the kid.
“If the rulers are bothered by the establishment or if they’re bothered by the occasional positions expressed by the establishment, it’s extra sincere to come back out and say it in order that everyone knows the place we’re going,” mentioned Mr. Kavkalias, including that the Commissioner's Workplace was left with out officers , main the Workplace to an incapability to carry out its duties.
“It’s affected, because the Commissioner herself complains, the independence of the establishment and the supervisory function it has”, he famous. Lastly, he talked about that the Commissioner's letters to the Authorities and the President of the Republic have remained unanswered for a very long time.
For his half, the MP for Environmentalists-Residents' Cooperation, Stavros Papadouris, referred inside the Committee to the necessity to workers the Workplace of the Commissioner and in addition the independence of the establishment. He additionally touched on the hazard of kid poverty and its social influence. On the similar time, Mr. Papadouris requested Mrs. Michaelidou if actions are imminent in view of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026, with Mrs. Michaelidou answering that it’s not doable to take actions because of understaffing.
