On July 1, 2026, the seventh meeting of the CIS Commission of Children’s Rights Commissioners (Ombudsmen) was held in the National Educational, Health and Recreation Center “Zubryonok” (Minsk region, Republic of Belarus).
The meeting was attended by the members of the Commission from the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan as well as by staff members of the offices of children’s rights commissioners, the CIS Executive Committee and by representatives of governmental bodies and organizations of the CIS member states.
The meeting summed up the results of the chairmanship of the Republic of Belarus in the Commission and approved the Report on the Activities of the CIS Commission of Children’s Rights Commissioners (Ombudsmen), which is to be submitted to the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.
The members of the Commission also discussed the following issues:
- detection, prevention of and response to violence against children;
- family as the foundation for comprehensive and harmonious personal development;
- phycological well-being of children and adolescents: modern challenges and solutions;
- early diagnosis of mental health disorders in children in conditions of limited resources;
- the role of the Children’s Ombudsman in monitoring the prevention of social orphanhood;
- the role of national mechanisms for the protection of children’s rights in improving legislation.
Furthermore, the Regulation on the International Children’s Challenge “Know Your Rights” dedicated to the Year of Legal Awareness in the CIS was adopted. The challenge will be held alternately in six countries of the Commonwealth from March 15 to June, 1, 2027. It is aimed at raising the legal awareness of children and forming a respectful attitude towards the rights of others.
In the framework of preparation for the next, eighth meeting, the Commission members approved its draft agenda, which includes the following items:
- realization of the child’s right to work and protection from economic exploitation;
- legal grounds for ensuring access to education for persons with special psychophysical development needs;
- development of supplementary education for children;
- raising funds for the implementation of assistance programs for families with children;
- protection of the rights of migrant children through the establishment of information exchange mechanisms between the CIS member states.
It is also planned to discuss the activities of the Children’s Council at the CIS Commission of Children’s Rights Commissioners (Ombudsmen).
By decision of the CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev, the representative of the Republic of Belarus to the Commission, Alexander Matyushonok, who chaired the Commission from June 18, 2025 to July 1, 2026, was awarded a Diploma of the CIS Executive Committee for his active work and personal contribution to the enhancement of multilateral cooperation among the CIS member states in protecting rights and legitimate interests of children.
As decided by the Commission, the chairmanship passes from the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Kazakhstan.