Mehriban Zeynalova: Most orphans in Azerbaijan become prostitutes
In Azerbaijan, the majority of children who leave boarding schools, cannot find a shelter and place of work, adapt to society with difficulties. According to experts, this is dangerous for the society, the Azeri news agency “ANS Press” says.
The agency notes that in the 2011-2012 academic year 976 homeless children in Azerbaijan have left school and have started a self-contained life. In 2010-2011 school year, 784 people from the public institution for children (33 boarding schools and 6 orphanages) stepped into adulthood. At present, Azerbaijan has 43 public institutions for children, which brings up 9,776 children.
“These children need to housing and jobs. Otherwise, the desire of make a living in an easy way may lead them to crime. For this reason, these children need to continue receiving assistance,” the chief psychologist at the Regional Psychological Center Dayanat Rzayev said.
According to the expert, in contrast to the period of independence of Azerbaijan the Soviet Union paid more attention to this issue. In Soviet times, the teenager who was leaving the orphanage at the age of 18 were provided with accommodation, they received work without any problems they received special care. Today, however, orphans in Azerbaijan must take care of themselves alone.
As the “ANS Press” says, experts believe that more attention should be given to young women who leave the orphanages when they get matured. Chairman of the Public Association for Women "Clean World" Mehriban Zeynalov told the “ANS Press” that in most cases, graduates of orphanages get involved in prostitution.
“After coming out of orphanage, they find themselves in desperate situation. Find it difficulties in adapting to society. Girls are getting used to the microenvironment of the orphanage. As a result of which they hardly get used to the macro-environment,” she noted.
The agency notes that there are special shelters in Baku. Thus, in Nizami district building with 50 apartments is given for exploitation for 100 people. Around 40 orphaned girls live here; they are 18 years of age. They can live here and make up families.
“But these girls are forced to live independently, and have reached maturity they make the smallest part of the orphans. Note that by the data of the previous year 976 young people reached adulthood and were forced to start an independent life. The problem of providing them with living conditions and job remains unsolved,” the article says.