04 March 2013
Skopje
APPEAL FROM THE OMBUDSMAN
On the eve of the local elections, The Ombudsman urges all participants in the election process not to permit and to prevent all kinds of attempts to involve and possible to manipulate and to abuse children for party-political interest.
As an institutions appointed to protect children rights, the Ombudsman calls on parents, political parties and all other participants not to allow children’s involvement in the campaign that is children not to be used in the political advertisements, billboards and rallies participants in the election process.
According to the Ombudsman, involvement of children on any way in political campaigns is opposite on the Convention on the Rights of the child, to which children should be protected from all kinds of abuses and manipulations as well as the Declaration for protection of child from political manipulation and abuse of the Republic of Macedonia Assembly, the Law on child protection and the Law for primary and secondary education where among other things it’s prohibited to politically organize , act and abuse children.
At the same time, the Ombudsman refers this Appeal to the media, in order not to accept to broadcast paid political messages, if through them are (ab) using children.