ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Institute for Democracy from Gagauzia (lead applicant), Media-Center from Transnistria (co-applicant 1) and National Institute for Women of Moldova from Chisinau (co-applicant 2) will implement a 36-month project aimed at fighting against torture in Moldova. According to international experts the use of tortures is one of the most actual problems of loyalty to Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova.
PROJECT INTRODUCTION
The project is being implemented very successfully; the results are better than expected. The objectives planned for the first year of the project have been fully achieved. All this allows us to be confident of the successful achievement of the ultimate goals. The project has received a lot of visualization in the Moldovan national media, the Gagauzian media, the Transnistrian media, as well as in foreign countries (Ukraine). The logframe is fully operational.
IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATIONS
The Institute for Democracy is a non-governmental organization (Reg. No. 3767 in the Ministry of Justice), supporting democratic processes in the Republic of Moldova, the ideas of the open society, protecting the human rights and fighting the trafficking and violence in any forms.
SUB-GRANTS PROGRAMME
The Institute for Democracy in partnership with the Media Center from Transnistria and the National Institute for Women of Moldova started a sub-grant programme for NGOs, supported by the European Union (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights).
MASS MEDIA ABOUT PROJECT
WELCOME SPEECH OF PETER MICHALKO, EU AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Human rights and democracy are core values that the EU promotes around the world. They are also core values that stay at the foundation of the relation between Republic of Moldova and the European Union and our Association Agreement. It is on this foundation that we are aspiring now for closer political association and economic integration of Republic of Moldova with the EU, provided that joint commitments that have been taken are fulfilled.
One of the EU’s commitments is to offer assistance and support for Moldova’s democratic development. In this context, I’m happy to announce the launch of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights global funded project “Let All of Us Say NO to Torture in Moldova: Civil Society against Torture“, implemented by the Institute for Democracy in partnership with the Media Center from Transnistria and the National Institute for Women of Moldova.
The project will be implemented over a period of 36 months in the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria.
In 2017 it became clear that in the Republic of Moldova there are still many systemic problems linked to the use of torture and ill-treatment. In this context I would like to mention Andrei Braguta’s case, who due to the existing systemic deficiencies had died in the penitentiary.
In the context of the current project implemented by the Institute for Democracy 60 workshops will be carried out for staff of detention centres, prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and policemen, in order to raise their awareness of the liability for torture.
45 interactive workshops will be organised for law students from Moldovan universities (as future policemen, judges and prosecutors) to raise their intolerance toward torture.
60 workshops will be organised for inmates, mental asylum patients, and children from boarding schools to teach them legal methods of opposing torture.
The regional centre for offering direct legal, psychological, and rehabilitation assistance to victims of torture opened already and is functional in Gagauzia. The Institute for Democracy will provide you with more details on these legal centres.
Additionally, in the framework of the project, there will be a sub-grant program for supporting organizations combating torture and its unchallenged use. A call for proposals to award these grants, will be launched later on.
As you are already aware, the European Union supports the implementation of the reform of the Police in the context of implementation of the Association Agreement and its Agenda. In the framework of the mentioned budget support programme, all police detention facilities will be renovated. However the programme is not only about renovation of police detention facilities, but even more about changing minds and behavious. We do hope that the phenomenon of torture and ill-treatment in police detention facilities will disappear.
I would like to mention that this year we are marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In this context, the EU strongly believes in empowering individuals and organisations promoting freedom, democracy and human rights.
The start of this project represents a new indication that EU’s support for Moldova does not diminish and in the months to come we are going to initiate other projects dedicated especially to strengthening local communities by ensuring close cooperation between public institutions, civil society and citizens. The citizen of Republic of Moldova, no matter where he/she lives, in Chisinau, Comrat or Tiraspol, should be assured that it will remain at the core of EU’s attention and support.