The goal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to protect children affected by criminal offenses and to reduce psychological trauma during investigative actions — Denis Monastyrsky
Today, August 17, the Office of the Attorney General signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of an intersectoral protection center for children who have suffered and witnessed criminal violence (Barnahus model) with the international organization United Nations Children's Fund (UNISEF).
The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky stated that the implementation of this Project is a new step towards the maximum implementation in practice of international standards of “child-friendly justice”.
He mentioned that during the chairmanship of the Law Enforcement Committee of the Verkhovna Rada, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General's Office and the Ministry of Justice, many new legislative initiatives were introduced to create a safe environment for children.
The head of the law enforcement agency noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will continue steps in this direction, as well as implement and promote new ideas to strengthen child-friendly justice.
The Minister of Internal Affairs said that this year the Verkhovna Rada has already changed the legislation in order to protect children from sexual exploitation and violence.
The next goal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to ensure that children and minor witnesses affected by criminal offenses are protected as much as possible, can receive effective psychological rehabilitation and do not experience a re-traumatic situation.
“Together with the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police of Ukraine, we have a clear vision of how this can be implemented. We are waiting for a change in the Criminal Procedure Code in terms of the procedure for interrogating minors who have suffered violence.
Both investigating police officers and prosecutors must master special skills specifically for investigating the category of crimes in which children appear as victims or witnesses. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct joint trainings for investigators and prosecutors with the involvement of UNICEF,” the interior minister said.
Denis Monastyrsky added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police will ensure appropriate interaction and cooperation for the proper implementation of this Project.
“Together with the Office of the Prosecutor General, we are working on a draft law to ensure the conduct of investigations and criminal proceedings in the best interests and with respect for the rights of the child,” the head of the law enforcement agency noted.
Denis Monastyrsky thanked UNISEF for their leadership role in ensuring that the Barnahus project takes place in Ukraine.
It is worth noting that the Barnahus project is the creation of a specialized institution that takes into account the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code in a child-friendly environment and minimizes the consequences of injury to a minor victim or witness of a crime. Participants of this project can count on comprehensive social, psychological, legal and medical care.
Currently, it is successfully implemented in Vinnytsia region. The first Ukrainian Center for Protection and Socio-Psychological Support for Victims in the Justice Process has already been presented there. Also on July 26, in Nikolaev the local authorities allocated premises for the arrangement of the same Center, which will operate according to the model “Barnahus”.
