News

12 September 2025

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva has established an advisory council of experts from the non-governmental sector, which will meet to discuss priority issues in the field of human rights protection.

The first civil council addresses the topic of juvenile justice, which has been undergoing reform for over a decade.

The Ombudsman Institution brought together prominent experts with many years of experience in the field of protecting the rights and interests of children – the National Network for Children, the Legal Aid Network, the Institute for Social Activities and Practices, P.U.L.S. Foundation of Pernik, Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, Animus Association Foundation, Partners – Bulgaria Foundation, IGA Foundation of Pazardzhik, Center for the Study of Democracy, FICE – Bulgaria, Association for Restorative Justice, etc.

"We are glad that today we have the opportunity to start working on what I consider to be a key issue – children's rights and juvenile justice, which I have placed at the top of my list of priorities," said the Ombudsman, thanking UNICEF Bulgaria for giving her the opportunity to become involved in this issue many years ago.

Velislava Delcheva expressed her hope that together they would have a positive influence so that the rusty wheel of the archaic 1958 Law on Combating Anti-Social Behaviour of Minors could finally be consigned to the past and Bulgaria could have a modern law on juvenile justice.

She informed all those present that she had also invited representatives of the Ministry of Justice to the meeting to hear the different points of view, because not all non-governmental organizations have the opportunity to participate in the working group formed within the ministry.

The main issues raised by the public defender were: Children under 14 years of age – the responsibility of the social system and universal and social services for children or only special educational measures. The vision for the social system's involvement in the work and support of children and families with unlawful behavior and in conflict with the law. Institutional network for response, impact, and support of children in conflict with the law. Internal legal means of protecting the rights of the child when placed in educational boarding schools (VUI) and social-educational boarding schools (SPI).

"The purpose of today's meeting is to generate ideas and questions. The experts participating on behalf of the Ombudsman Institution will take into account the positions of the organizations in order to include them in the draft law," Delcheva added.

Assoc. Prof. Velina Todorova, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child 2017–2025, kicked off the discussion with a presentation entitled "Criminal Justice for Children and the CRC's Recommendations to Bulgaria."

Lyubomir Krilchev from UNICEF Bulgaria presented the topic "Children below the minimum age of criminal responsibility: standards and challenges," and Georgi Elenkov from NNC presented "Advocacy on key issues of justice reform for children in conflict with the law."

The Ombudsman and all experts agreed on their commitment to support the formation of political will for reform in the area of juvenile justice; to adopt a long-term concept for the direction to be taken; to make effective use of current resources and good practices in the system; to highlight the leading role of social services; and, last but not least, to ensure proper communication and change public attitudes towards the rights of children in conflict with the law.