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On the 16th and 17th of May, the Ombudsman for Children of the Republic of Poland and ENOC Chair – Marek Michalak - has visited Kiev where he took part in a project “European experience: Poland”, and met with Ukrainian Ombudsman for Children Jurij Pavlenko and Polish Ambassador in Kiev, Henryk Litwin. On Wednesday the 16th of May, Mr. Marek Michalak participated in a public meeting entitled: “European experience: Poland”. The meeting is part of the project in the framework of which there are discussions organized with people who have influence on the functioning of the state and contribute to improve their home country’s image abroad. The meeting with ENOC Chair gathered among others MPs, judges, leaders of NGOs and journalists. The Ukrainian Ombudsman for Children also participated in the meeting. The discussion with Marek Michalak mainly focused on the protection of children’s rights in Poland and all over the world, Mr. Michalak talked about his experience both as Polish Ombudsman for Children and as current ENOC Chair. He also presented the legal framework on the basis of which his office has been established, strong competences, cooperation with state organs, self-government and NGOs. He also mentionedcategories of cases submitted to the Ombudsman for Children and number of interventions he undertakes annually. The indications of the Ombudsman for Children, Marek Michalak, were valuable for the possible strengthening of the institution of the Ombudsman for Children in Ukraine. On the 17th of May, Marek Michalak hold a meeting with the Ukrainian Ombudsman for Children, Mr. Jurij Pavlenko. They talked about cooperation between the Ombudsmen offices and analysed legal solutions enabling strengthening both institutions. The ENOC Chair presented to Mr Pavlenko recommendations as to how to strengthen his office and make it fully independent, which is the necessary requirement to become a full member of ENOC. Polish Ombudsman handed in to his Ukrainian counterpart his Annual Report and translation of the Law on Ombudsman for Children in Poland. He also invited staff members of the office of the Ukrainian Ombudsman for Children to pay visits or internships to the Polish Ombudsman for Children Office. At the end of the meeting the Polish Ombudsman for Children encouraged Mr Pavlenko to issue literary pieces of Janusz Korczak in Ukrainian language. During his visit in Ukraine, the Polish Ombudsman for Children and ENOC Chair took part in a TV programme called “An evening with Mykoła Kniażycki”, he was also interviewed by a weekly magazine and by a state internet portal. Link to the interview can be found here: http://tyzhden.ua/Society/49784
