The problem of poor children living in our country is very urgent. In talk with "Echo" Yusif Bekirov, a head of the League for protection of children's rights (LPCR) stated. According to him, if in 90s birth-rate in Azerbaijan was 180,000 children annually, now this figure was by 130,000 cut. "Azerbaijanis is the nation that loves very much children and always welcomes possession of many children. That's why it is possible to say with confidence that the birth-rate reduction is due to aggravation of social conditions," Y. Bekirov is confident. In addition, he noted that poverty figures grows per annum, in spite of the official statistics under which the number of poor families makes up 29 per cent.
"Actually, this figure is considerably greater, nearly 50-60 per cent," emphasized LPCR head. According to Y. Bekirov, under UN figures, cost-of-living allowance per capita is US$ 2 per day. If an amount spent for a day is less than US$ 2, it means that this man is a poor. "In our country a minimum salary is 35 manats, i.e. far from UN figures. In connection with that poverty level in the country is growing," said LPCR head.
"Currently in western countries the tendency of growing of children's number in families is being observed. It links with the growing of living standards," said Y. Bekirov. In our country, as the expert underlined, the situation is reverse.
It is due to the lack of reforms concerning children's protection in our country.
According to him, for instance, Russia has state programmes, under which by birth of children a family gets accommodation benefits. In other countries by birth of children, a family gets specific benefits, etc. "In Azerbaijan the similar benefits are scanty," underlined Y. Bekirov.
According to him, the main reason of poverty is officials' corruption.
"The corruption also impedes progressing of reforms, and taxes that should be received in state budget are not paid. If it was not occurred, population's social conditions would improve. All that directly links with the state of children in our country," concluded Y. Bekirov.
It is appropriate mention that as Washington ProFile informs, economic transformations in the South-East Europe and CIS countries contributed to the reduction of child's poverty level. In 1990s 32 million children under the age of 15 lived within poor conditions, now their number cut by 18 million. But birth-rate is reduced. The greatest part of poor children is children of families having many children and low-income families, orphans, rural residents, and also ethnic minorities. UNICEF "Analysis of Child's Poverty in the South-East Europe and CIS countries" report informed.
Since 1998 almost in all SEE/CIS countries economic conditions have improved that led to improving of population's living standards. But not all children could use results of economic growth and first of all, because of the lack of governmental care about new generation's problems. At present poor children rate vary from 5 per cent in some SEE countries to 8 per cent in the Central Asia. In particular, 80 per cent poor children are in Kyrgyzstan, 76 per cent - Tajikistan, 57 per cent - Georgia, 53 per cent - Moldova, 50 per cent - Uzbekistan, 28 per cent - Kazakhstan, 13 per cent - Russia.
The report focuses on the sharp reduction of children's rate in the region. Since 1991 a total number of children cut approximately by 18 million. Birth-rate reduced in all countries, except of the Central Asia. The most remarkable demographic changes were observed in Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. For the last 15 years the number of children in the region was by 14 million cut. The report says that even during a rapid economic growth there are no obvious signs of birth-rate growth in the region.
The countries allocate different allowances for families having children. For instance, Armenia spends 0.85 per cent of GDP for family allowance, Kyrgyzstan - 0.84 per cent of GDP, Belarus - 0.80 per cent, Ukraine - 0.36 per cent, Russia - 0.22 per cent, Kazakhstan - 0.13 per cent, Georgia - 0.02 per cent. For comparison, France - 1.14 per cent, Germany - 0.78 per cent, Italy - 0.47 per cent, and Mexico - 0.08 per cent. Not all families can get the allowances: in Russia 56.1 per cent of families having children can get a family allowance, in Azerbaijan - 54.2 per cent, in Belarus - 31 per cent, Kyrgyzstan - 23.2 per cent and in Ukraine - 19.8 per cent.
In turn, in talk with "Echo" Ayna Mollazade, a chief of the UNICEF -Azerbaijan Public relations department said that there is no recent statistics concerning the state of children in our country, i.e. no survey is conducted. "All figures are very old, sometimes ten years' prescription and that's why when we talk about the state of children in Azerbaijan, we are frequently guided by not precise figures which do not cover all country's territory," said A. Mollazade.
In connection with that according to her, UNICEF and Azerbaijani Government repeatedly talked about the necessity of survey to reflect real state of children in the country. "It is appropriate mention that next year we intend to conduct such surveys under completion of which report to be prepared," A. Mollazade noted. She also said that Azerbaijan, undoubtedly, has the problem of poor children. "We have no grounds to suppose that there is not a problem. It is very difficult to talk about scales of the problem, not knowing concrete figures," underlined A. Mollazade.
Furthermore, she noted that under figures, at present there are about 22,000 children in children's homes and boarding schools. "As specialists affirm, the main reason prompted parents to reject their own child was the social situation of family, i.e. poverty," concluded A. Mollazade.
In turn, Rauf Aliyev, a Member of Parliament and MM Commission for Social Policy, also considers that Azerbaijan has the problem of poor children. "But recently the Government has made too much for eradication of the problem that is ongoing," said R. Aliyev. He noted that children's homes and boarding schools are fully rehabilitated and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation led by Mehriban Aliyeva and UNICEF attach a great importance to the problem. "The work for solution of the problem is on progress. But I think that it is necessary to make greater efforts and Azerbaijani nation should deal with the solution of the problem, as today our country is prospering and developing in all fields. It is necessary to do all in order to reduce the number of families forced to give their children to children's home because of material troubles that their children could get education and work equally with the rest," concluded R. Aliyev.
L. Mursalova, N. Ramizoghlu
www.echo-az.com
