President appoints new Children’s Ombudsman

28 October 2021

On 27th October President Vladimir Putin signed an order appointing a new Children’s Ombudsman.

The order decrees that Maria Lvova-Belova shall serve in the role for a five-year term.

“I believe we must take the best work of recent years and go even further. It’s important to pay particular attention to a child’s right to a family, an education and good health, and to create a level playing field for all children, no matter their social status, where they live, or their health needs,” said Maria during a meeting with the President.

Lvova-Belova said that she has been working in children’s rights for five years. A year ago she became senator for the Penza region. She has nine children, four of whom she adopted.

In 2008 Maria co-founded the community organisation ‘Blagovest’, while in 2014 she set up the ‘Kvartal Lui’ charity and joined the Penza Civic Chamber, before going on to join the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.

‘Kvartal Lui’ supports people with disabilities and prepares them for life in society. The charity has two assisted living homes for disabled young people without parental care, as well as a social hostel, social cafe and a social printing press.

‘It’s important for us that she has experience of the public sector, she was a member of the regional and federal Civic Chambers. In that sense she’s “one of us” — a person used to working directly with people and their issues,’ commented members of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.

Lvova-Belova replaces the outgoing Ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova, who was relieved of her duties following a vote in the State Duma.

Source: https://www.asi.org.ru/news/2021/10/28/prezident-naznachil-novogo-detskogo-ombudsmena/