On 17 April, representatives of the People's Advocate Office and the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) met for the first coordination meeting facilitated by the project.

The purpose of the first coordination meeting was to establish cooperation and foster dialog between the two institutions to better promote respect for the fundamental rights of citizens at local level in the Republic of Moldova.

During the meeting, the representatives of the two institutions presented their mandates and discussed the possibility of creating partnerships in several areas such as: capacity building of local authorities on human rights, mainstreaming the human rights-based approach in the work of local administration and in the process of development of local public policies, collaboration in the process of referral of cases of human rights violations, protection of children's rights, equal opportunities, access to public services and community participation in decision making.

"It is very important to establish active and constant cooperation between the two institutions. Together we will be able to find solutions to various human rights situations that arise at the local level", mentioned Tatiana Badan, President of CALM.

"The People's Advocate Office should be perceived as an active partner, supporting both authorities and citizens in identifying and solving systemic problems and not as a sanctioning authority. Strengthening cooperation with civil society and local public administration is essential to promoting inclusion and human rights at the local level," said Ceslav Panico, the Ombudsperson.

The Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities project is implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2025-2028 and reflects the commitments undertaken in the Reykjavík Declaration, reaffirming the essential role of local authorities in promoting and protecting fundamental rights.