Press release, 03.06.2016
On 1 June, International Day for Protection of Children, the Moscow branch of YABLOKO conducted a rally in support of children’s rights together with a number of public organizations.

The participants of the rally remained that the infringes of children’s rights committed by Moscow’s profile departments in the field of education, medicine, social protection and culture had become the talk of the town. In addition to that, new juvenile technologies and the “optimization” of handicapped children lead to depriving the handicapped children of this status (consequently they lose all the budget payments and benefits like free medicines or special appliances) and pronouncing them fit for military service. [The authorities] close down special schools for children with reduced capabilities, introduce additional fee-based education and in-flight meals in children’s educational esteblishments. A large number of families with many children, needy families, families with handicapped children fail to get sanatorium vouchers.

The activists claimed that the city and federal officials only talk about protection of children’s rights but in practice they deprive them of  the social protection and already-existing guarantees. The participants of the action called to fight against such an approach.

Moscow YABLOKO’s  Regional Council members Marina Karavayeva and Mikhail Menshikov, and activits Igor Bakirov participated in the rally.