Disabled
In Russia more than 600,000 children are registered disabled, more than 50,000 children are affected by HIV stigma and the lack of tolerance towards children with differences is very common. Mothers of such children can walk away from them at birth, and have in the past been encouraged to, leaving the authorities to take on parental rights and care.  Parents who take their disabled children onto the streets with them are invariably shunned or taunted.
While recognising that there needs to be a complete shift in societies attitudes towards children who are different generally, (and this includes ethnic minorities, children of immigrants and gypsies) Love Russia endeavours to make a start by working with those in the institutions to change attitudes of the staff by example.