The year 2025 was declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. The institution of commissioners continued to provide all-round assistance to military personnel and their families, organising humanitarian aid comprising basic necessities, offering comprehensive support for families in difficult life situations, and implementing measures for the social and psychological adaptation of minors who have experienced combat operations.
The key event for the institution of children’s rights commissioners in 2025 was the completion of the Nationwide Inspection of the System for the Prevention of Social Orphanhood, which was held in all 89 regions. The commissioners analysed over 7,000 children’s case files, taking on 3,200 of them. The recommendations issued following the inspection are being implemented in the regions.
In 2025, the number of minors in children’s institutions decreased from 53,415 to 48,315 (down 9.6 percent), the number of terminations of parental rights went down from 21,631 to 17,039 (down 21.2 percent), and the number of restrictions of parental rights decreased from 6,742 to 5,396 (down 20 percent). The number of reinstatements of parental rights increased from 887 to 1,181 (up 33.1 percent), and the number of cases where restrictions of parental rights were removed went up from 793 to 875 (up 10.3 percent).
As per the President’s instructions, an interagency working group on assistance for families with children and social orphanhood prevention has been established under the Children’s Rights Commissioner. The group will coordinate interagency interaction at the federal level, formulate initiatives and proposals on amending legislation, accumulate experience and draft decisions on family and childhood.
In 2025, commissioners received more appeals than in 2024: the federal Commissioner received 23.2 percent more, and regional commissioners received 4.2 percent more appeals. Overall, 107,418 appeals were reviewed during the reporting period. The annual growth in the number of appeals indicates the public’s increasing trust in the institution of commissioners, which they regard as an effective mechanism for protecting children’s rights.
At the same time, the number of appeals from the new regions has decreased by nearly 11 percent compared to 2024. This trend shows that the local authorities promptly settle arising issues, including humanitarian ones.
In 2025, the federal Commissioner held 82 working meetings with members of the authorities, including the President. In addition, Maria Lvova-Belova made 42 working trips to 36 regions of the Russian Federation and one visit to the Republic of Belarus. During these trips, the children’s ombudsman visited over 140 institutions and held 32 meetings with regional heads and 40 meetings that focused on the current issues and challenges of family preservation and recommendations and proposals for addressing them.
