The purpose of Maria Lvova-Belova’s two-day working visit was to organise targeted humanitarian aid for families with children in the DPR and the LPR, treatment for those wounded in the conflict zone, and rehabilitation for orphans. She discussed placing orphans and children without parental care, evacuated to the territory of the Russian Federation, in Russian families.
Work is underway to implement earlier instructions issued by the President to simplify the existing legal mechanisms. The Protocol of Intent signed on March 10 between the commissioners for children's rights of Russia and the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics expands cooperation in the sphere of protecting children's rights based on the principles of equality and respect for sovereignty and promotes hands-on work to help children and families with children in all spheres of their life.
Following the meeting, agreements were reached to establish contact groups with representatives of various agencies and to synchronise the activities and legislation of Russia, the DPR and the LPR in order to address the tasks at hand. Maria Lvova-Belova and the commissioners for children's rights of the DPR and the LPR will head the offices to harmonise the three countries’ laws in the sphere of family placement for orphans.
The office of the Commissioner for Children's Rights has already received about 800 applications from Russian families who want to open their home to orphans of Donbass. About 300 of them are experienced foster families.
In addition, Maria Lvova-Belova visited a temporary accommodation centre in Lugansk, met with families, and gave children toys and sweets. In Donetsk, she visited the Republic’s Traumatology Centre, where she talked with injured children and their parents, and discussed possible aid from Russia and Russia’s leading hospitals with the Centre’s management.