I. The "Family World" Foundation begins work on a new family policy
At the present time, the family policy of our government is passive and does not meet the most vital demands of the family, asserts Galina Zaitseva, president of the "Family World" Foundation. At the same time, Russia, as never before, needs in principle a new family policy directed at the "rebirth of the family as a social institution, the restoration of the family way of life, a "familial" culture, and the return to the family's historically important functions that have belonged to it in the past." In instituting such a policy, voluntary non-governmental organizations are prepared to be partners with the government.
The first step in solving the problem will be taken by the Foundation, which since the fall has been working on the implementation of the project "Family Policy under the conditions of the formation of a citizen's government in Russia." The project proposes the conducting of research on the modern family and the causes leading to its crisis, government family policy, as well as an analysis of the role and possibilities of the third sector in the working out, formulation, promotion, and realization of a new family policy. The results of this research ought to be the principle concepts of the family policy, the details of which voluntary associations hope to continue working on together with the state structure.
The Foundation is prepared to consider any suggestions regarding the project on the concepts of a new family policy. The Agency for Social Information has the Foundation's telephone number. (ASI can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]).
II. Mutual Assistance Groups for Women Infected with HIV will be formed in St. Petersburg
According to the St. Petersburg branch of the "Names" Foundation, in September in St. Petersburg on the basis of the Russian infectious clinical hospital mutual assistance groups for HIV infected women will begin working . . . For these women there will be regular lessons on the psychological struggle with crisis conditions and stress, self-regulation, and the search for possibilities to take part in social work. The program was developed together with the Children's Foundation "Health and Family" (city of Kolpino).
Contact telephone: (812) 464-9334 (Elena Vedmed).
III. In Nizhny Novgorod: Movements for the Protection of Rights
After a meeting of non-governmental organizations for the protection of rights that took place in Nizhny Novgorod, the participants of the meeting decided to form a consultative council. One of the basic goals of this council will be to participate in the reform of the Russian judicial system. . . The council will take an active part in the preparation of the seminar "Improving the judicial system in modern Russia," which is slated to take place in mid-September . . . Contact telephone: (8312) 36-52-20 (V. I. Chumak, A. V. Mokrousov).
Since 1992, the Nizhny Novgorod Society for the Rights of Man has regularly collected data on the use of torture by police agencies.
According to the information collected by the Society, for the last five years the situation has gone through several changes. Specifically, there are seen more instances of taunting with the application of not only physical force, but also special means (electric shock, asphyxiation). Although the number of cases of violence from the side of the administration of correctional institutions in the region has diminished, the number of assaults on the part of special forces has sharply increased . . .
Telephone number for information: (8312) 30-07-14.
IV. In St. Petersburg, the Third Stage began Implementing the Program "Steep" -- which instructs teachers, consultants, and experts in the area of small and medium business
"Steep" is a program designed to instruct specialists participating in the development of strategy and practical support; and the development of small and medium businesses, as well as teachers and consultants in institutes and business schools that work with small business organizations. The coordinators of the "Steep" program -- one of the largest projects of the British "Know-How" Fund -- are the Committee for foreign ties, the "Progress" Center of Management and Marketing, the Baltic Academy, the Engineering Economics Academy, the Center for Citizen's Initiatives, and the Association of Pro-rectors on International Communications of the Higher Institutes of St. Petersburg. The selection of participants is being conducted on the Russian side. Participants in the Program will include Commercial and state organizations, over 20 higher educational institutions, centers and foundations which support entrepreneurs, and the administration of St. Petersburg. The cost of the project -- 1.4 million pounds sterling. The British "Know-How" Fund and the City Administration's Committee for foreign ties favorably evaluated the first two stages of the project, during which 35 people from Petersburg attended a course held at the Manchester School of Business. The third group is scheduled to leave for Britain at the end of August. Contact telephone: (812) 276-6833; fax: 276-1633 (Tatyana Kazimirovna Emelyanova, main specialist of the Committee for foreign ties, Russian director of the "Steep" project); 164-9187; fax 112-0607 (department of international communications of the Engineering Economics Academy).
V. The Commanding Officers of the Nizhny Novgorod Unit Turn to Soldiers' Parents for Help
The Command of the unit turned to the regional Committee of Soldiers' Mothers with a request for help in connection with the fact that the command alone cannot improve the conditions of service for the soldiers of the unit, which is located almost in the city center: the soldiers are forced to live on food from the field kitchens and the heat was turned off in March.
The unit was established more than 10 year ago on the initiative of the city administration to protect law and order in the city, and at first construction of the military complex was going actively. But the financial means were little, and the administrations of the city and the region lost interest . . .
At the meeting of soldiers' parents . . . which took place on June 11, a parents' committee was formed within the unit and a plan of action was established for the next few months -- preparation of letters to the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the leaders of corresponding governmental bodies. Moreover, negotiations have already begun with kolkhozes to supply the enlisted with vegetables for the winter. The basic goals of the committee will be to watch over the timely transfer of funds to the unit and their useful expenditure.
Contact telephone: (8312) 49-17-75 (Ovchinnikova, Galina Vasilevna).
VI. The Moscow Regional Foundation to Aid Prisoners Asks for Help in Liquidating the Results of a Fire in the Organization's Office
"FOPOZ" is turning to anyone who can aid in the liquidation of the results of a fire that occurred in the organization's office on June 4 of this year. The cost of repairs will run 20 million rubles, and the organization, which is involved in charitable activities (the distribution of clothing, medicines, and produce to prisoners, organizing concerts for them, charitable activities) does not have such funds at its disposal. Contact Telephone: 527-7053
VII. The Institute for Humanitarian Communication Is Offering Courses for Media Workers
The Institute for Humanitarian Communication is a principally new scientific learning center for teaching workers in the Russian mass media. The institute offers over 60 courses for more than 30 categories of students. Moreover, the institute can develop various and long-term programs on special arrangements . . . Additional information can be obtained by calling: (095) 231-2044, 233-5936 (Natalya Dorosheva, the coordinator of the center).
VIII. The Nizhny Novgorod Society for the Rights of Man Offers the Services of its Database
In the database, there are over 1199 documents on various questions of citizens and legal rights, materials on international and Russian human rights organizations, normative acts on personal rights and freedoms, as well as other laws and statutes. Contact telephone: (8312) 30-0714.
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