Ombudsman Karina Palkova plans to publish a special report in November on systemic issues in children's homes in Latvia, reported Ruta Silina, head of the communication and international cooperation department of the Ombudsman's Office. The protection of children's rights, especially those in vulnerable situations living in children's homes, has been named one of the ombudsman's priorities. Bureau specialists are already conducting inspections of such institutions and intend to continue monitoring across all regions of the country. ### Half-empty refrigerators On Monday, Palkova published photos of half-empty refrigerators taken in one of the children's homes on Facebook. According to her, in this institution, less than **200 euros** is allocated for clothing for one child for all seasons. In addition, the ombudsman discovered that the staff of the institution hardly speak Latvian. The name of the children's home is not yet disclosed. On September 22, Palkova plans to meet with the local government leadership in whose territory this institution is located. ### "This is just one example" The Ombudsman's Office emphasizes that the published photographs reflect only one of the cases encountered by specialists during inspections. According to Ruta Silina, while not naming a specific institution, the ombudsman wants to send a clear signal to all local governments and children's homes in Latvia: such a situation is unacceptable. Silina described the findings as a "flagrant violation of children's rights" and pointed to the responsibility not only of the institution's management but also of the local government as its founder, as well as the orphan court, which must monitor the rights of children in the children's home. Palkova personally visits children's homes to assess the real situation on the ground. After inspections, the identified issues are discussed with the management of the respective institutions. The results of inspections of various children's homes will be compiled into a special report on systemic problems. It is planned to be published in November.