Mon, May 21 2012
BBC's documentary Bulgaria's Abandoned Children would be screened on November 6 at the Red House Centre for culture and debate, the Bulgarian News Agency BTA reported.
The screening will start at 6.30pm and will be followed by a debate on the institutional care for children with disabilities in Bulgaria. Author of the documentary Kate Blewett, representatives of institutions, non-governmental organisations and human rights lawyers will take part in the discussion.
The documentary Bulgaria's Abandoned Children shows the horrible living conditions at a social care home for physically and mentally disabled children in Mogilino in Northern Bulgaria. The film shocked the audience in the UK and frightened Bulgarian institutions. After the broadcasting on BBC the Movement of Bulgarian Mothers organised a petition for the closure of the home in Mogilino and held a demonstration in front of the Labour and Social Policy Ministry demanding the minister's resignation.
Invitations to take part in the panel discussion have been sent to the Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia Maslarova, the director of the State Agency for Child Protection Shirin Mestan, Darinka Yankova from the Agency for Social Support, Asen Petrov, expert from the Education and Science Ministry.
The debate is intended as an exchange of ideas between the makers of the documentary film, the coalition of NGO's and the state institutions responsible for the care of children with disabilities.
Invitations to participate in the open discussion was also sent to the Embassies of the UK and the Netherlands and international organisations active in the field.
Soon after Prime Minister Boiko Borissov's Cabinet was sworn in, State Agency for Child Protection head Shirin Mestan tendered her resignation.
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