The Council of Europe Office in Chisinau is reaffirming its commitment to combatting hate speech and sexism in elections as part of an ongoing awareness raising campaign "Do not tolerate sexist speech. Report it!" originally launched on April 27, 2023 and renewed on April 26, 2024, ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for October 20, 2024.

This campaign aims to promote a culture of zero tolerance towards gender-based discrimination, and fosters education of election officials, candidates, media representatives, and future voters about the importance of maintaining dignity and respect in the political discourse.

In a notable effort to reach a wider audience, the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau invited the projects’ Partners, along with Chisinau and Balti municipal authorities, to promote this message through several distribution channels during the electoral period: Chisinau public transportation - RTEC and PUA, official websites and social media accounts.

The 50-second video is available in both Romanian with Russian subtitles and Romanian with Romanian subtitles, ensuring accessibility to a diverse audience. Additionally, it includes sign language, enhancing its reach and inclusivity.

Cases of sexist speech can be reported on-line at gender.monitor.md, by phone 0 8003 33 88 (free call), to the police [email protected], to the Council for Equality and/or the Ombudsman Office in the Republic of Moldova.

This action was jointly undertaken within the Council of Europe Projects Improving Electoral Practice in the Republic of Moldova, Phase III; Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova; Support for Media Pluralism and Freedom of Expression in the Republic of Moldova; Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova; Enhancing diversity and equality in the Republic of Moldova; Reinforcing the culture of dialogue and ethical open local governance in the Republic of Moldova.