Abandoned by the State: Violence, Neglect, and Isolation for Children with Disabilities in Russian Orphanages.

Author(s)

  • Andrea Mazzarino

Reference

Abandoned by the state: violence, neglect, and isolation for children with disabilities in Russian orphanages. Human Rights Watch. 2014. 178p.

Financial support

  • Human Rights Watch

Applied research areas

Thematic issues

Impairment

Geographical areas

Author's summary

This report presents the situation of violence, neglect, and isolation for children with disabilities in Russian orphanages.  The report is based on visits by Human Rights Watch researchers to 10 orphanages in 6 regions of Russia, as well as on more than 200 interviews with parents, children, and young people currently and formerly living in institutions in these regions in addition to 2 other regions of Russia. It finds that many children and young people with disabilities who have lived in state orphanages suffered serious abuse and neglect on the part of institution staff that impedes their development. The report presents the background of the current situation and its detailed findings. and makes recommendations to key Russian stakeholders to ensure protection of the rights of children with disabilities in Russia and to comply with its international human rights obligations.

Resource Center comment

Ce rapport a pour objectif de dénoncer les mauvais traitements et le non-respect de certains droits fondamentaux dont sont victimes les jeunes personnes handicapées dans les établissements russes. Pour cela l’auteur a enquêté en interrogeant à la fois les jeunes et leurs familles ainsi que les personnes qui dirigent ces établissements. A la fin du rapport, l’auteur émet des recommandations à court et moyen terme, aux différents acteurs (gouvernement, législatif, défenseur des droits, partenaires de la Russie) pour améliorer la situation. Ce document s’inscrit dans la lignée de la défense des droits des personnes handicapées instaurée par la Convention Relative aux Droits des Personnes Handicapées de l’ONU.
Ce rapport intéressera les personnes et les organisations afin d’enrichir leur plaidoyer en faveur du respect des droits et de la dignité des personnes handicapées.

[ENG]
The purpose of this report is to denounce the serious abuse and violations of fundamentals rights to which people with disabilities are subjected in Russian orphanages. The author conducted his investigation by means of interviews of people with disabilities, their families and directors of orphanages. At the end of the report, the author provides key recommendations for the different parties involved (government, legal bodies, support groups for people with disabilities, Russia’s partners) to improve the situation. This document is in line with the CRPD (Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities), which defends the rights of people with disabilities.
This report might be of interest to people and organisations who work in support of the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.

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