The Ombudsman of Abkhazia, Asida Shakryl, met with Children’s Commissioner for RA, Maktina Djindjolia. Asida Shakryl congratulated her colleague on her new appointment. «I am glad to see you in this position because I am familiar with your work at the Ashana Foundation and I can see its results. There are many problems in implementing children’s rights today. Some of them could have been solved long ago. When it comes to assisting specific families and children, it is easier to find a solution. But if the issue is systematic, it is more difficult to overcome”.

Asida Shakryl sees certain pros and cons in the fact that the institution of the Children’s Commissioner will be a part of the executive branch.

The disadvantage is that effective child protection implementation requires more powers than is made available by the Regulation on Children’s Commissioner. “You must be authorized to monitor the implementation of your recommendations. After all, the President may not always be able to respond quickly and manage these issues”.

“It’s important to ensure the autonomy of the Children’s Commissioner in the future. The institution should be free to inform the public of its opinions about certain authorities, without requiring prior approval”.

Asida Shakryl emphasized that "the Commissioner does not replace state institutions, but addresses recommendations to the competent bodies with a view to improve their services, by implementing international treaties and conventions on human rights”.

Shakryl assured Jinjolia that the Ombudsman’s office in the Republic of Abkhazia will fully support her work in the protection of children’s rights.

For her part, Maktina Jinjolia noted: "I hope that the Institution of Children’s Commissioner will become an additional guarantee in the field of advocacy and promotion of children's rights. I look forward to your support as a specialist with extensive experience in this field. At this stage, it is important to set priorities correctly and choose the right direction. I will do everything in my power to ensure that children in Abkhazia have the best chance of growing up happy, healthy and safe”.         

At the end of the meeting, Shakryl presented her colleague with Children’s Rights Alliance booklets in Abkhazian language, published with support from UNICEF.