Child and Youth Monitoring

In Mario project child monitoring report there is an analysis of the opinions of 20 children under 18 about their protection from violence and exploitation, as well as their opinions about the quality of the institutions offering services for children. According to 75 % of the children the institutions (including the agencies of Ministry of Interior and Child Pedagogical Offices) have the capacity to stop violence and exploitation of children. The children also considered that their families and their parents are responsible for their security and safety. A lot more doubtful are the interviewed volunteers working for NGOs, as only three of them point out schools and pedagogical councilors as factors for children’s security and safety. 50 % of the interviewed consider NGOs as organisations for protection of children and these answers are strongly influenced by the fact that the interviewed are volunteers in such organisations. However, none of the interviewed formulated an answer related to the necessity of changes of the social and economic conditions of living of the children which would restrict violence and exploitation, which shows a certain immaturity which is typical for that age. According to the interviewed child protection means stability of social environment and their personality – so that they feel peaceful and secure. Two of them state that their safety and protection means “to be loved”. The answers of the children show that what they require and expect from institutions professionals is to provide protection of children – victims of trafficking in Bulgaria. Children’s opinions were received from an inquiry (semi-standard interview), focus groups and group discussion. Quotes from the answers of the children and youngsters – volunteers given within the interview illustrate their opinions. The full report in only available in Bulgarian.