A number of nongovernmental organizations express their indignation at the fact that the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family cooperates with a private foundation managed by a politician within the campaign “Protected Families”. In a press statement, the NGOs say this campaign promotes the public service “Child’s Phone”, which is financed with money from the state budget, as a public service of the foundation, IPN reports.

“The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family is the owner and administrator of the “Child’s Phone”, but this institution does not appear in the commercials about the campaign. The Ministry repeatedly postponed the advertising of the “Child’s Phone” owing to the lack of funds so that the service was promoted by a number of NGOs active in child protection by their activities, materials and communications on the given segment. The way in which the “Child’s Phone” is presented in this campaign can make those who promoted and will continue to promote this service to be associated with the given foundation,” said the signatories.

The NGOs requests the Ministry to withdraw the information about the “Child’s Phone” from the campaign “Protected Families”. The people’s ombudsperson for children’s rights is asked to take attitude to the way in which the private foundation uses public services, while the State Chancellery is requested to examine this case and to communicate with the responsible authorities so as not to allow public services to be used in the interest of private foundations.

The statement was signed by 25 NGOs, including the National Center for Child Abuse Prevention, the Legal Resources Center and the International Center “La Strada”.