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A voice for children
“CHILDREN have a voice” was the message from newly-appointed Child Commissioner Leda Koursoumba yesterday.
Koursoumba, who is also Law Commissioner and president of human rights institution ETHNOPAD, officially received her new duties from President Tassos Papadopoulos on Thursday.
Presenting her goals for 2008 yesterday, Koursoumba said her aim was to spot and promote children’s opinions when they couldn’t be heard, to the President of the Republic as well as the judicial authority.
She also expressed her intention to ensure that all provisions of the UN Treaty for Children’s Rights were being implemented.
The Treaty, she added, would be issued in a simplified form, in Greek, English and Turkish.
Koursoumba promised to fight for improving children’s position in society, while she said she would be applying for the appointment of a special representative for children in judicial procedures, when their parents cannot be included due to legal reasons.
Although it had only been two days since her appointment, Koursoumba had already received a number of complaints, which she said she would investigate in order to see the true extent of the problems faced by children in Cyprus.
“There are issues that reach me as Law Commissioner, which I refer to the Child Commissioner, regarding mothers and in effect children, matters regarding judicial procedures, family cases, child maintenance cases, custody orders, matters involving children with problems, special needs and educational issues,” Koursoumba told reporters.
She later explained that she would be coming into contact with court judges to see how the legal system needed to be improved. This may even result in amendments to the law.
Her intention is to make public interventions that will serve children’s best interests – “even a negative reaction will not bother me as it will push someone into doing something.”
But it is all too little, too late, according to the Cyprus Pupils’ Association (PSEM).
Speaking on behalf of PSEM, Seviros Koulas expressed his satisfaction at the Child Commissioner’s appointment, but pointed out that it was long overdue.
“There are many things that need to happen in Cyprus,” he said. “The appointment is late, even though it is something we have been requesting for a very long time.”
He then commented on the state’s decision to appoint Koursoumba, who is in charge of two other major authorities.
“If we are all so aware of the significance of defending this institution, then I don’t understand why this institution has a part-time form, which undermines it,” he stated, calling on the government to reconsider its position.
Representing the Youth Parliament, Frini Fournari assured the Commissioner that the young deputies would support her in her work.
“Children’s rights in Cyprus is a matter that demands a solution; we need to work on it,” she said, adding: “We have a voice and we can work, and anything you need we will be with you.”
The Child Commissioner’s main priorities for 2008 include:
l Children in child protection homes
l Children’s right to participate in decision-making within the family
l A study regarding adoption procedures in Cyprus
l The promotion of children’s rights in the judicial system
l Map out all the services in Cyprus that have to do with children with special needs
l Matters involving the operating conditions of Secondary Education.
Koursoumba also referred to future priorities, such as violence in schools, smoking, and the implementation of children’s rights in the school environment, child poverty, one-parent families and children on the internet.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008
Owner: Jacqueline Theodoulou, Cyprus Mail