OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 March 2009 was announced, that session of the Council under the Head of Karelia for promotion of civil society institutions and human rights development on March 20 passed in the Government of Karelia.

The Council was founded in 2006. Lately the Council members have developed such documents as the Concept of partnership between the authorities, local self-government, business and public, Guidelines of the state policy of the RK on spiritual and moral education of the population through to 2020, a bill On the Public Chamber of the RK.

The Council's major tasks are preparation of proposals to the Head of the RK on improvement of mechanisms of maintenance of protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in the Republic of Karelia; organization of assessment of legislation of the republic concerning protection of human rights; assistance to development of mechanisms of public control in this area. Chairman of the Council is the Legislative Assembly of Karelia deputy Alexander Pereplesnin.

This year by the order of Sergey Katanandov the Council was enlarged, having comprised 64 members instead of 37, new working groups have been created: on support of public initiatives directed on stabilization of social and economic situation during the crisis; on spiritual and moral education of the population and harmonization of interethnic relations; on civil society development within the scope of international cooperation.

Among the Council members there are representatives of the wide range of the republic's public organizations, scientists, heads of the trade-union organizations, representatives of institutions of local government, active students, pensioners and veterans, representatives of small business.

At the session of the Council on March 20 heads of working groups have presented results of their studying the course of experiment on creation of children's home of family residential type on the basis of Children's Home N2 in Olonets region, the course of preparation of the bill On the Public Chamber of the RK was considered, as well as the plans of activity of working groups of the Council for 2009. The opportunity to speak was rendered to representatives of small business, local self-government, veteran organizations, etc.

During the session of the Council results of sociological researches have been presented. Thus, for example, the Modern Development Institute has mentioned Karelia alongside with St.-Petersburg and Yaroslavl area, as the most liberal region. Proceeding from the data of the Public Chamber of Russia, Karelia among other 15 regions is related to the group of territories where the level public activity is above the average.

In turn, Sergey Katanandov has noted, that public initiative is very important now and is among priority issues of activity of the authority. "The opportunity of people's participation in decision-making remains no less topical than 20 years ago," - Head of the RK has told.

On results of the the session of the Council its members have made a number of decisions on the issues discussed. In perticular, it was resolved to complete the bill On the Public Chamber of the RK in 10 days then to suggest the Head of the RK to submit the modified bill to the Legislative Assembly of the RK.