More than 1600 appeals have been received by the Nizhny Novgorod children's ombudsman.

      May 28, 2026 16:00 Society NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Maria Orlova Most often in 2025, the Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Nizhny Novgorod region received inquiries regarding the child's right to live and be raised in a family, as well as concerning conflicts in educational organizations. This was reported by Commissioner Margarita Ushakova at a meeting of the Legislative Assembly, as conveyed by a correspondent from NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." She presented a report on activities in 2025 and noted that this year—the first in the Family Five-Year Plan—set a new direction in the field of child rights protection.

      The preservation of the biological family for the child and the strengthening of family values are the main principles that set the vector called the "family-preserving approach," Ushakova emphasized.

      A total of 1,670 inquiries were received by the Commissioner. Of these, 38.5% were from Nizhny Novgorod, and another 5% were from the Kstovo district. The largest share of inquiries—29%—concerned the child's right to live and be raised in a family. As the speaker emphasized, this trend has been ongoing for ten years. The second place was taken by issues related to the right to education—15%. The third position was shared by topics related to the right to housing and social security—11% each. Margarita Ushakova separately addressed the issue of social orphanhood.

      Despite a decrease in the number of newly identified orphans and children left without parental care, the problem of social orphanhood remains relevant. Of the 696 children identified in 2025, only 236 are true orphans; the rest were left without care while their parents are alive, she said.

      She added that over the year, 120 inquiries related to the prevention of social orphanhood were registered, which accounts for more than 40% of inquiries on the topic of the child's right to live and be raised in a family.

      Image: Report by Margarita Ushakova According to her, joint work was carried out in this direction with the Ministry of Social Policy and Family Policy: the focus was on developing non-stationary assistance, including for families with children with disabilities, as well as joint placement facilities; organizing the work of interdepartmental councils to assess the justification for placing children in institutions; judicial protection of families with children—assistance in restoring parental rights and lifting restrictions. Speaking about the right to education, Margarita Ushakova noted that in this group of inquiries, more than 46% are related to conflicts in educational organizations. Half of such cases involve bullying in schools.

      Image: Report by Margarita Ushakova To change the situation, it is proposed to strengthen the prevention of conflicts and expand the use of mediation methods for their resolution. Earlier, it was reported that a 14-year-old schoolgirl was hospitalized after an incident with a classmate. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+