The event brought together representatives from five Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine), EU member states, EU institutions, and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. Representatives of the National Social Insurance House also took part in the delegation.
During the meeting, several gender equality issues were discussed, including wage and pension disparities between men and women, workplace violence and harassment, as well as gender-based violence. The discussions also focused on the ratification and implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the "Istanbul Convention," and the ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment in the Workplace.
In her opening remarks, the State Secretary expressed gratitude to the European External Action Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium for organizing the meeting and for their continued efforts in promoting gender equality.
"Ensuring gender equality in all spheres of our society is a priority for the Government of the Republic of Moldova. In recent years, concrete steps have been taken to advance gender equality and prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. Several measures have been adopted to support parents, especially women, in re-entering the workforce. As part of the RESTART reform, specialists in domestic violence and victim rehabilitation have been employed in every district and region. These specialists are responsible for providing necessary assistance to victims of domestic violence and coordinating multidisciplinary team activities," said Felicia Bechtoldt.
Other actions taken by the Government of the Republic of Moldova in collaboration with development partners include the approval and implementation of the National Program for Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence for 2023-2027, the establishment of a National Agency for Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, the launch of a Family Justice Center within the General Police Inspectorate, and the opening of a Regional Integrated Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in Ungheni.
Source: Ministry of Labor and Social Protection
