The following decisions were made after the November 16, 2012 meeting to strengthen state protection for the rights of underage crime victims:

1. To approve a report by Irina Yarovaya, Chairwoman of the State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee.

It should be noted that the Russian Federation has recently passed a number of federal laws, which stipulate additional protection for underage crime victims. The Fund for the Support of Children in Difficult Situations is currently functioning. The Presidential Executive Order On the National Strategy of Actions in the Interests of Children for 2012-2017 has been signed. The Government has approved a plan of high-priority measures up to 2014 to implement the most important provisions of the National Strategy of Actions in the Interests of Children for 2012-2017.

Currently, the State Duma is reviewing 11 draft federal laws with regard to protecting the rights of crime victims. Four draft laws protect the rights of minors. At the same time, some issues of protecting the rights of underage crime victims remain unresolved.

Over nine months of 2012, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened 10,990 criminal cases on crimes against minors, or 10.8% of the total number of criminal cases, which were opened (101,504).

Children and teenagers from families with difficult backgrounds, orphaned and parentless children remain the most vulnerable category.

2. The Ministry of Justice (Alexander Konovalov), in cooperation with the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the Investigative Committee, and the Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government shall promptly draft comments on the draft law On Amending Specific Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in Order to Improve the Rights of Underage Crime Victims, which has been submitted to the State Duma by State Duma Deputy Irina Yarovaya, and they shall submit these comments to the Government under the established procedure.

3. Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets shall examine the following issues during the work of the Government Commission on Juvenile Rights and Affairs:

• Rehabilitation of underage crime victims;
• Inclusion of provisions to strengthen state protection of underage crime victims in the plan of high-priority measures up to 2014 as regards the implementation of highly important provisions of the National Strategy of Actions in the Interests of Children for 2012-2017 and adjustments in the relevant deadline for implementing a project stipulated by paragraph 55 of this plan, which was approved by Government Directive No 1916-r dated October 15, 2012.

4. The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media (Nikolai Nikiforov), in cooperation with the concerned federal executive agencies and organisations, shall examine the proposal of Presidential Ombudsman for Children’s Rights Pavel Astakhov on holding a media campaign against violence and brutality in 2013, and it shall report the results to the Government.

Deadline: Until December 20, 2012.