Smart Internet Foundation

  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • The Management
    • Documents
  • News
  • Domain .ДЕТИ
    • Who needs a domain in .ДЕТИ?
    • Register a domain
    • Become a Registrar
  • Contacts
  • Русский
News

Law-abiding volunteer: myth or reality?

July 29, 2013

What is it – being a volunteer? Firstly, it is a great honor given to you. Secondly, it is a  grave responsibility. And finally – excellent opportunity to practice your skills (whatever they are) and at the same time help people in despair or preserve the environment.

But enough these sentimental talks!

More important for every volunteer or a person eager for being a volunteer is something else. This person should know a legal code about volunteering in native land or in any other country which is initiating the volunteer movement.

In this article we are going to examine Volunteer Acts in Russia and several developed states and decide whether this acts are necessary.

In Russian Federation the federal law  regulating all actions of charitable institutions was adopted on the 11th of August, 1995. This law marked  targets of charity and volunteering. The most crucial are:

  • volontery-601px-600pxto support citizens (concerning improvements in live standards for those citizens who live below the poverty line)
  • to help victims of natural calamities, ecological, anthropogenic or other disasters
  • to render assistance in peacemaking between nations and preventing social, national, religious conflicts
  • to provide support in maternity and child protection, moreover, to enhance the prestige of family in the society
  • to assist in preservation of the environment

These statements describe all the spheres where the volunteer could be helful.

At the same time the actual state of affairs considering the volunteer movement in Russia is not as clear as it is in the above-mentioned law.

In January, 2013 the Council of the Federation published a bill about volunteers. This bill was widely scrutinized by several NCOs and volunteer organizations. The reason for the sharp criticism is hidden in several statements of this bill. For instance, a person which helps someone gratis and a person which participates in any volunteer movement became the same notions. Moreover, if the citizen is not a member of any volunteer or charity organization, he is not allowed to offer help in state of emergency. And the actions made by ‘official’ volunteers will be under strict control. In  other words, the movement which embraced millions of people was stopped and ruthlessly ruined. Any amendments in this bill were not adopted so the question of the volunteer regulation in Russia is still open.

Public figures say that Russia should adopt international practice in regulating the volunteer movement. There is the Ministry of Justice in Slovakia which concentrates on charitable and volunteer organizations and cooperates with them actively. Other developed countries have the volunteer movements controlled by different departments. So it is not crucial to create a special government body to supervise activities of organizations.

Furthermore, a lot of developed countries do not have a law controlling activities of such institutions. Among this states there is the United Kingdom where the volunteer activity was the main force during the Olympic Games-2012.

It is worth to remember that no law will be able to control such a serious and giant movement while it doesn’t consider all the traits this movement has. Russia has a great potential to use volunteers in any type of situation – thanks for our mental predisposition to help someone in need. For now the government has to decide whether we need this law. Perhaps self-organization plus compassion plus action is the perfect formula for successful  volunteer activity in Russia.

Darya Philippova

Tags | news, volunteers
 0
Share Now

You Might Also Like

News

.Tickets applicant files trademark applications for new top level domain

July 26, 2012
News

Some websites may be closed before the ‘black-list law’ comes into force

August 1, 2012
News

4 steps to prepare for the new gTLD expansion

July 6, 2012
News

Digital Notes: Plans for a New .Music Suffix, but Who Will Own It?

July 4, 2012
Previous Post IDN Policy
Next Post How does USA protect kids online

Search

Smart Internet Foundation

has been in operation since February 2012. It has been founded by “Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ” – the administrator of national top level domains .RU and .РФ (national registry).

Tags

.ДЕТИ Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation Andrei Vorobyev Bunchuk Catalogue CCTLD Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ Coordination Center for TLD RU/РФ Cyber Security Day Danelia data escrow Digital Safety Forum distance education domain .ДЕТИ dot ДЕТИ Explore the Internet & Govern It! project Federal Council of Fathers ICANN it lessons IT Security IT Security Working Group Kolesnikov Kuznetsova Ministry of Digital Development Communications and Mass Media msk-ix National survey new gTLD news Ombudsman for the Rights of the Child Parfentiev Peresedov Public Chamber of the Russian Federation research Russian Civic Chamber Safety Runet Week Smart Internet Foundation Study the Internet - Govern it The Coordination Center for TLD .RU/РФ The Internet Research Institute UN Secretary General Vneshkolnik bulletin volunteers Vorobyov Working Group on Children’s Information Security Zhilin

© 2022 Smart Internet. Свидетельство о регистрации СМИ: Эл № ФС 77-70589 (16+)