On 8 April April 2024, Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, emphasized the importance of advancing gender equality during his visit to Moldova State University. His lecture "Advancing gender equality and tackling violence against women in the Republic of Moldova" brought together 120 students to discuss the means to prevent and combat violence against women in the country and explore the role of international cooperation in promoting human rights. The Deputy Secretary General underlined that the Istanbul Convention is the "gold standard" for European countries to combat violence against women, noting that the Republic of Moldova has made significant steps by ratifying and implementing the treaty. He encouraged students to use their digital knowledge to combat the escalating issue of online violence against women.
Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, and Lilia Parhomenco, Ministry of Education, outlined the achievements and challenges pertaining to gender equality and violence against women in the Republic of Moldova. State Secretary Bechtoldt highlighted the government's two national programs for 2023-2027 which are in alignment with the Istanbul Convention: on Promoting and Ensuring Gender Equality and on Preventing and Combating Domestic Violence. Lilia Parhomenco pointed out that, from an educational policies perspective, it is much easier to develop policies than to implement them effectively.
The interactive Q&A session explored ways to integrate gender considerations into policymaking, to enhance gender equality in education, and to accelerating progress in these areas. Students expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with the Deputy Secretary General, gaining insights into the Council of Europe's initiatives addressing violence against women across Europe, including in the Republic of Moldova. The students mentioned how important it is to give young people the tools to embrace equality.
The event marked the Deputy Secretary General's first visit to Moldova and served as a forum to exchange perspectives from across Europe and to chart a trajectory for Moldova's journey towards gender equality.
