Experts in Latvia have stated that representatives from modeling agencies are prohibited from recruiting young people in schools, although such instances may still occur.
In Latvia, it has been confirmed by representatives in the Saeima's Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee that modeling agency representatives should not conduct recruitment activities in schools. This issue resurfaced during a recent meeting, where Jānis Zariņš, a member of the committee, highlighted personal experiences from a decade ago when such representatives were allowed to engage directly with students, particularly targeting girls deemed suitable based on their appearance. The concern remains that despite regulations, such practices may still occur in educational institutions.
The Deputy Director of the Quality Assurance Department of the State Quality Service, Ivans Jānis Mihailovs, acknowledged that while the laws are clear prohibiting these activities, there could be isolated incidents that deviate from the norm. Mihailovs emphasized the importance of reporting any known cases to assist in enforcing the regulations properly. He reassured the committee that the current policy firmly prohibits the presence of modeling agents in schools to prevent any unapproved recruitment.
Child protection was a key focus of the committee's meeting, with Gunita Kovaļevska, the head of the Children's Protection Center, stressed that recruitment of young individuals in schools by modeling agencies could have detrimental effects on minors. Discussions highlighted the need for vigilant monitoring and the importance of protecting children's interests from potential exploitation in the modeling industry.
