Kyrgyzstan has proposed introducing liability for parents who go to work abroad and leave their children without proper custody.
The bill was initiated by the Ministry of Labor and has been submitted for public discussion. It is planned to introduce the concept of “children of migrant workers” into the Children’s Code. According to the Ministry of Labor, in the first quarter of this year, about 85,000 children were identified, half of whom are with relatives without legal guardianship.
The Ministry emphasizes that parents’ absence leads to a lack of love and care; many are forced to work and do not attend school. The new bill proposes fines of 15,000 KGS ($181) for parents who leave their children in the care of relatives, neighbors, children, or acquaintances without notifying the guardianship authorities.
Similar measures to protect migrant children exist in other countries. For example, in Uzbekistan, a project was launched in 2018 to support children left behind by parents who go to work abroad. The project is supported by UNICEF and funded by the European Union. It aims to provide social and legal assistance to children without officially appointed guardians. According to the research data, many children are left with relatives without legal guardianship, leading to various social problems that require state support.
