Child Kazakhstan Waiting

FY-1999.... 113 ADOPTION AUTHORITY IN KAZAKHSTAN : Ministry of Education Committee on Guardianship and Care, 83 Kenesary St., Astana, Kazakhstan 473000 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: There is no age or marital status requirement stated in Kazakhstani regulations at this time, except that an unmarried prospective parent must be at least 16 years older than the child s/he intends to adopt. [Read More]

Kazakhstan

The minimum age for employment is 14 years, but only for part-time work (5 hours a day) that is not physically onerous. A child between the ages of 14 and 16 may work only with the permission of his or her parents. Education is compulsory to age 16, and the law stipulates harsh punishment for employers who exploit children under this age. Responsibility for enforcement rests with the Ministry of Labor, for administrative offenses punishable by fines, and the MVD for criminal offenses. The Criminal Code allows for fines up to $25,000 (3,675,000 tenge) and 2 years in prison in cases where a minor is injured or placed in unhealthy conditions. Children from the ages of 16 to 18 can work full time provided that they are not required to do any heavy work. The Government has acknowledged that children in this age group work in construction and other heavy industries but report that duties for children are limited to washing windows, general cleaning, laying tile, and similar nonstrenuous acti ... [Read More]

U.S. Embassy, Dushanbe, Tajikistan - Visa and Consular Information

In addition to the documents mentioned above, in order to obtain a replacement passport for a minor under age 14, both parents or legal guardians must: present evidence of child’s relationship to Parents/Guardians: birth certificate with parents’ names, adoption decree with adopting parents’ names, etc. show valid parental identification (i.e., valid U.S. or foreign passport, drivers license, Alien Resident Card from BCIS, etc.) sign and take oath before the Consular Officer. If the second pare ... [Read More]

Introduction

Government Efforts. The government’s primary mechanism for eradicating the vestiges of slavery and preventing trafficking is enhancing education, literacy, and access to health care. Many national and local government officials, including Ministers, Parliamentarians, and mayors are descendents of former slaves. The government is using debt relief packages to build schools and improve education. It has also hosted nation-wide workshops on the slavery prohibition and its impact on certain individuals. Efforts to eradicate child labor include a law prohibiting children selling goods in the streets of the capital, government-funded public service announcements against the worst forms of child labor, and a training program targeting street children. Trafficking is not prohibited, but the use of fraud or violence to abduct minors is a criminal offense with a 5 to 10 year sentence. Forced and bonded labor is prohibited, but the go ... [Read More]

Kyrgyz Republic

There were increasing reports of abandonment due to parents' lack of resources to care for children, which led to larger numbers of children in institutions, foster care, or on the street. According to UNICEF, the children most at risk were those in these 3 categories, with 10- to 14-year-olds the highest-risk age group. State orphanages and foster homes faced a lack of resources and often were unable to provide proper care. The Kyrgyz Children's Fund (KCF) was particularly concerned about the growing number of street children, many of whom left home because of abusive or alcoholic parents or desperate economic conditions. The Government reported that the number of street children nationwide varied between 2,000 and 15,000 depending on the season of the year. UNICEF estimated there were 2,000 street children in Bishkek. The majority of street children found temporary shelter at bazaars and bus or train stations. Approximately 80 percent of street children were internal mig ... [Read More]

Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Government policy prohibits child combatants, but many suspected children join the military with false documents. Beginning in May 2002, the Ministry of Defense began investigating the extent of the child soldier problem, holding discussions at three army camps and among senior officers, and began a series of awareness raising seminars for senior officers in June and November 2002. In August 2002, the government conducted a survey of families to determine how many children had left to join the government or rebel forces. The Army then conducted a census of minors in the military in October 2002. As a result, the Army Chief of Staff ordered that commanders cease the use of children as combatants in January 2003. The government is working with an international organization to demobilize child soldiers and participating in another international program to prevent children, particularly street children, from becoming involved in armed conflict. The government facilitated the travel of form ... [Read More]

The U.S. Government’s International Anti-Trafficking Programs Fiscal Year 2002

Description: This four-year project will promote school attendance and provide educational opportunities for victims of child trafficking and children at risk of being trafficked. The program will raise awareness about the problem of child trafficking and the importance of education for children; strengthen transitional centers that receive children returned from trafficking; promote children’s academic integration into transitional and formal basic and vocational education programs; support preventive measures to increase school retention of children vulnerable to trafficking; strengthen institutions and policies to reduce trafficking and promote school attendance; and promote the sustainability of program interventions. ... [Read More]

Overview of the Administration’s Implementation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

Projects with the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor. ILAB has supported projects through the International Labor Organization’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) to address child trafficking in 17 countries in West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America. These projects rescue children from trafficking and exploitative work situations and provide them with rehabilitation services and educational opportunities. They also undertake efforts to prevent children from being trafficked in the first place. ... [Read More]

International Women's Issues Newsletter: Spring 2003

The U.S. team worked to include language that encourages women’s empowerment through education, economic development, health, and safety — all priorities of this Administration. Ms. Dew commented: "I am so pleased that President and Mrs. Bush have made literacy a top priority and that the No Child Left Behind initiative will help ensure that schools will emphasize the importance of children learning to read." Ms. Dew also mentioned "the numerous, significant appointments in this Administration that have gone to well-qualified women." ... [Read More]

Greece

During the year, the number of street children who panhandle or peddle at city intersections on behalf of adult family members or for criminal gangs decreased.  The Government successfully implemented measures throughout the year to combat this phenomenon, which included the institutional placement of children up to 12 years old, therapeutic consultations with their families, and the deportation of illegal immigrant juveniles 12 to 17 years old.  Street children were arrested and detained regularly by police prior to being placed in these programs.  However, it is believed widely that even those who were deported managed to return eventually to the country and the streets.  In August 2000, police detained a group of 35 Roma children from Albania, between the ages of 3 months and 11 years, who were begging or being exploited by adult beggars in the streets.  Police apprehended 20 adults, identified as parents.  Police believe that this was the largest child ... [Read More]