HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN IN SAINT PETERSBURG
Born on February 8, 1964 in Leningrad. Her parents worked as engineers at the North-Western Forest Inventory Enterprise.
In 1986, she graduated with honours from the Faculty of Journalism of Leningrad State University named after Andrei Zhdanov. During her studies, she worked as a freelance correspondent for the sport’s editorial office of the Leningrad Television. In accordance with the employment of graduates, worked in the propaganda department of the Leningrad City Committee of the Komsomol.
Journalistic and teaching activities
In 1989, she became the founder of the IMA-PRESS information and advertising agency, worked as an editor and presenter of the IMA-PRESS radio programme and hosted the TV show “The Businessman's Breakfast”.
In 1991, she returned to work on TV. She worked for the state television and radio company “Petersburg – Channel 5” as an editor for the Advertising editorial office, as correspondent, editor and commentator for the “Inform-TV”, and as author and presenter of the “In Plain Sight” and “The Five Nights” TV shows.
Since 2000, she hosted “The Weather at Home” and “The Children's Issue” TV shows on the Russia-St Petersburg channel.
She has been a member of the Union of Journalists of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region since 1990.
She combined her work on TV with her teaching activities at the Faculty of Journalism of Saint Petersburg State University, where she gave special lectures and workshops.
In October 2000, she defended her PhD thesis “The Information Broadcast of Leningrad and St. Petersburg Television: Experience and Prospects of Development (1938-1998)” and became an assistant professor of the Department of Radio and Television.
Human rights activities
On December 23 2009, she was elected by the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly as the first Ombudsman for Children in St. Petersburg.
On January 21, 2015 she was re-elected to the same position for a second five-year term.
Since our city did not previously have a state institute for child protection, the first Ombudsperson formed it anew: she created an office, a website and a public reception.
She developed the basic principles of work: such as publicity, openness, desire to help everyone in need, pursuing justice, reconciliation of adults for the sake of children, ability to listen and hear people, systematization of complaints and providing changes in legislation in the interests of children and families.
In 2012, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
In 2011, she was elected Chair of the Coordination Council of Ombudsmen for Children in the Northwestern Federal District. She chaired the Council until the end of her term.
For ten years, the Ombudsman for Children Office had carried out painstaking and methodical work in close cooperation with the executive and legislative authorities, and public organisations. Several important amendments have been made to federal and regional legislation by the Ombudsperson to make the lives of young Petersburgers more comfortable and prosperous.
As Ombudsman for Children in St. Petersburg, she worked in federal collegiate bodies:
· the Presidential Coordination Council for Implementing the 2012–2017 National Children’s Strategy;
· the Working Group on Amendments to the Legislation on the Family and Children in Connection with the Adoption of the 2014-2020 Family Policy Concept;
· an expert of the Advisory Council of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation on Helping Orphans and Children Left without Parental Care.
At the regional level, she was a member of:
· the Coordinating Council on Families and Children;
· the Council on Persons with Disabilities;
· the Expert Coordinating Council for the Promotion of Social and Healthy Nutrition;
· the Interdepartmental Commission on Summer Recreation;
· the Commission on Juvenile Rights and Affairs
· the Commission to Prevent Drug Abuse;
· the Working Group on Reforming the Institutions for Orphans.
On February 26 2020, she resigned from her post as Ombudsman for Children in St. Petersburg due to the expiry of her term.
On December 1st 2021 she was elected by the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly as Human Rights Ombudsman for St. Petersburg.
Awards
· Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” II degree;
· Medal of the Federal Court Bailiff Service of the Russian Federation “For Merits” 2014;
· Medal “For Fidelity to Duty” 2018;
· Commemorative medal of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation “75 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945” 2019;
· Certificate of Honour of the Governor of St. Petersburg 2019;
· Certificate of Honour of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation 2019;
· Сertification of Сommendation of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation 2015, 2019;
· Сertification of Сommendation of the Governor of St. Petersburg 2019;
· Сertification of Сommendation of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg 2014, 2019, 2020;
· St. Petersburg Governor's merit badge “For Mercy” 2018;
· Justice Award of the Association of Lawyers of Russia “For Great Contribution to Education of Citizens” 2015;
· Woman of the Year Award in the category “Social activist” 2019;
· Diploma of Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and the Ladoga region Vladimir “Blessing of hard work”, 2012;
· Diploma of Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and the Ladoga region Varsonofy “Blessing of hard work”, 2019;
· Commemorative medal “For Merits” to the 135th anniversary of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federal for assistance to the Kolpino young offenders' institution 2014.
The 2nd Class Actual State Counselor of the Russian Federation.
Master of Sports of the USSR in swimming, champion and record-holder of the USSR among girls, holder of the golden mark of the TRP.
Married since 1984. Mother of four children and grandmother of three grandchildren.