Over two days, experts from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Germany, the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Romania, and a Council of Europe international consultant delivered practical training on gender-sensitive asylum procedures. The training aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to apply a gender-sensitive approach throughout the asylum procedure, with a focus on identifying vulnerabilities, conducting gender-sensitive interviews, assessing credibility, and ensuring appropriate procedural safeguards.
Over 30 professionals from the General Inspectorate for Migration, the General Inspectorate of Border Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the National Institute of Justice, and the People's Advocate Office enhanced their knowledge and practical skills in these areas.
Ms Tatiana Carlig, Main Officer, Directorate of Regime and Public Order, General Inspectorate of Border Police, described the training as particularly timely. “Our institution is currently developing operational procedures for the identification, immediate assistance, and referral of asylum seekers with special needs at the state border. The knowledge, practical guidance, and good practices shared during the training will make a valuable contribution to this work and further strengthen our institutional capacity to respond effectively to the needs of vulnerable asylum seekers.”
As the European asylum and migration framework continues to evolve, strengthening the capacities of professionals to integrate a gender perspective and identify vulnerabilities remains essential.
Highlighting the importance of the training, Ms Olesea Guritanu, Main Officer, Accommodation and Registration Section, General Inspectorate for Migration, said: “The workshop reinforced the importance of looking beyond the initial interaction with an applicant, as vulnerabilities are not always immediately visible. I believe the knowledge and tools acquired during the workshop will contribute to more structured, gender-sensitive interviews and the earlier identification of applicants with specific protection needs”.
A highlight of the training, the practical simulations challenged participants to analyse asylum cases from multiple perspectives and navigate the complexities of interviewing and assessing individual applications. Reflecting on the experience, Ms Silvia Garbuz, Main Officer, Asylum and Statelessness Service, Northern Regional Directorate, General Inspectorate for Migration, stated: “This workshop has strengthened my ability to apply a fair, needs-based and gender-sensitive approach throughout the asylum procedure. The interview simulations and case discussions helped me better understand how to assess individual circumstances while respecting the rights, dignity and specific vulnerabilities of each applicant, in line with international standards”.
Mr Mihai Rotaru, Specialist for Co-operation with the Governmental Commission for Migration and Asylum and the General Inspectorate for Migration, Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, commented on the simulation of an asylum interview: “Being in the role of an interviewer, I realised how complex and demanding the examination of an asylum application is. Beyond the legal framework, it requires careful consideration of each applicant's individual vulnerabilities, traumatic experiences, and social and cultural background. The exercise helped us better understand that fair and well-reasoned decisions can only be achieved through a gender-sensitive assessment of every case”.
The activity was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe project "Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Refugees and Migrants in the Republic of Moldova: phase II", funded and implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2025–2028.