Interfax: Matviyenko calls decrease in number of orphans unprecedented

MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax) – The number of orphans has halved in Russia, which is unprecedented by world standards, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko said at a meeting of the president’s coordination council on the implementation of the national child action strategy for 2012-2017.

“I deem our achievements in addressing the problem of social orphans to be crucial. Our joint efforts have halved the number of children living in orphanages on the special list,” Matviyenko said.

“Experts say this is an unprecedented decline, and nothing of the sort has ever happened in the world,” Matviyenko said.

The number of newborns abandoned by their parents has reduced by almost a third, Matviyenko said. “The number of children whose parents have been stripped of parental rights has decreased by the same amount,” she said.

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