On 21 December, the Council of Europe's Office in Chișinău hosted an event to present the GREVIO evaluation report to the Republic of Moldova. On that occasion, Moldovan authorities and other actors reaffirmed their dedication to eradicating gender-based violence and upholding women's rights.
The Ministry of Labour of the Republic of Moldova serves as the coordinating body for the implementation of the report and is a key partner of the Council of Europe. Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection pointed out that: “The attested results demonstrate once again that the problem of violence against women and girls can only be reduced through joint effort and intersectoral cooperation at any level. We still have a lot of work to do and certainly, the suggestions put forward by the GREVIO will be of great help and will serve as methodological benchmarks for improving the legislation and the mechanisms to prevent and combat this phenomenon, as well as for improving the quality of health services assistance and protection.”
Marius Ciprian Toth, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău, highlighted Moldova's strong commitment to European values, emphasising that: “eradicating violence against women is not only a governmental responsibility, but a collective effort that requires close cooperation between institutions, civil society and international bodies. Evaluation is not only a performance review but also an opportunity to better understand the challenges we face and to identify sustainable solutions. This event should be a bridge between critical observations and the real needs of the community.
Laura Albu, GREVIO member and co-author of the report stressed the need for the Republic of Moldova to continue enhancing their efforts and actions in ensuring a sustainable protection of women and girls against all forms of violence through proper resource allocation and coordination of all actions among relevant stakeholders.
The Republic of Moldova ratified the Convention on 31 May 2022, solidifying its commitment to safeguarding women's rights and preventing gender-based violence. The event shed light on progress made and challenges for the convention's implementation. It provided a platform for open dialogue and information exchange among government representatives, civil society organisations, and the international community. Participants gained insights into the recommendations issued by GREVIO and better understanding of the needed next steps and expectations for medium and long-term actions. The event signifies a crucial moment in the country’s ongoing commitment to creating a safer and more equal society for all.
This event was organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, in the framework of the Council of Europe project "Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova".
