During the meeting, priorities identified in the recommendations of the Group of Experts on Action Against Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) were discussed, with the aim of transposing them into a set of measures that include implementation actions and monitoring indicators.
According to GREVIO's recommendations presented in the first evaluation report, Moldova is tasked with improving the implementation of the Convention, particularly regarding the development of services for victims of violence against women and sexual violence, including in rural areas, and strengthening the multidisciplinary response. The importance of cooperation among authorities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and service providers to achieve this common objective was also highlighted.
The event also featured the presentation of the Guide for social workers, developed for the prevention, protection, and intervention in cases of violence against women and domestic violence, in accordance with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention. The guide aims to provide social workers with a tool to understand the Convention and to develop their frameworks and practices in accordance with its provisions.
This tool is one of the outcomes of the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău project, "Support for the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova."
Additionally, the members of the specialized Commission were updated on the progress made regarding the development of an analysis of the compatibility of the national regulatory framework with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, initiated by the Ministry at the beginning of 2024.
State Secretary Felicia Bechtoldt reiterated Moldova's commitment to promoting European values and respecting the rights of women and girls in the context of the EU accession negotiations.
The event was also attended by the Director General of the National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, Ms. Viorica Țîmbalari. The Agency has been operational since 2024 and is empowered with coordinating inter-institutional activities in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, implementing national programs, assisting the Government in policy implementation, monitoring and evaluating public policies in the field, facilitating cooperation and dialogue with civil society, and reporting on the national application of the Istanbul Convention and other international conventions and instruments.
The event was supported by the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău, with the presence of Mr. Marius Ciprian Toth, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău, who reaffirmed the need to strengthen the efforts of all actors responsible for implementing the provisions of the Istanbul Convention and combatting gender stereotypes that hinder this process.
Source: Ministry of Labor and Social Protection
