European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 Programme "International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime" pre-defined project "Support for Barnahus implementation in Latvia" implementation within Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia implemented an international event – OECD Report: Towards a Child-Friendly System in Latvia.
The event took place over 2 days:
13th of April 2023 took place the publication of the OECD report and the online presentations of the experience stories of other countries and cooperation partners, in which participated Minister of Welfare – Evika Silina, Ambassador of Norway – Ine Måreng, OECD representatives – Tatyana Teplova and Gillian Dorner, Project peer and Counselor from the Slovenia – Sabina Klanecek, Project expert - Nevena Vučković Šahović, Senior Economists at Alma Economics – Christina Olympiou un Maria Liapi, Head of the Barnahus in Estonia – Anna Frank, Barnahus Promise Network Senior Adviser – Olivia Lind Haldorsson, Center Dardedze NGO – Janeta Bokaldere, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Welfare – Diana Jakaite and “Support to the Implementation of Barnahus in Latvia” project manager – Ilze Berzina. The publication of the OECD report was an important event not only for representatives of Latvia, but also for all our Project partners, because it was the end of almost two years of work on situational research and specialist interviews, which was carried out entirely remotely. At the same time our foreign Project partners expressed appreciation for the involvement and support of the Project team of the Ministry of Welfare and other colleagues in this difficult process.
14th of April 2023 took place 2nd part of event on site in Ministry of Interior, in which foreign guests where participated: OECD representative - Tatyana Teplova un CBSS Promise network Counselor – Shawnna von Blixen, as well as other representatives from Latvian institutions – Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, State Inspectorate for the Protection of Children's Rights, The Ministry of Welfare, Prosecutor, State Police, Office of the Ombudsman, Center Dardedze NGO, Center Marta NGO, Riga Regional Court, State Centre for Forensic Medical Examination.
In general in this event were made conclusions and next steps for Latvia, linking it to the suggestions and recommendations of the OECD study. There were discussions of all interested parties about the child rights protection system in Latvia and good wishes for the future work of the Barnahus in Latvia. As CBSS Promise Counselor Shawnna von Blixen acknowledged, in every country procesess are different and the fact that all these cooperation partners are at the same discussion table with such an open conversation about improving cooperation processes to help abused children is already a lot.
The discussions were concluded with the wish to meet next time already at the opening event of the Barnahus.
This report assesses the benefits of implementing the Barnahus model in Latvia as a child-friendly and interagency one-stop shop to support children exposed to violence or abuse as well as those who have witnessed violence. It examines a whole of state approach to promote a justice system that is more people and child-frindly, incorporating sound governance mechanisms.
Presentation event of the OECD report
