OSCE Mission to Moldova enhances capacity and co-operation to promote rights of persons belonging to national minorities
The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized two workshops, 24 October in Chisinau and 25 October in Comrat, to enhance professional capacity and co-operation of state institutions working in the field of national minorities' rights. The events brought together some 50 representatives from the Agency for Interethnic Relations, the Ombudsperson’s Office, the Equality Council, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research as well as ethno-cultural and national minority organizations and regional authorities from the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia.
The workshop in Chisinau focused on the best practices of human rights monitoring and reporting — a key responsibility for many of these state institutions, which are regularly submitting periodic reports to international human rights bodies on the implementation of the commitments and recommendations on national minorities’ rights.
“This workshop is a great opportunity for us to be better equipped in our daily task of monitoring the implementation of the national minorities’ rights, including compliance with domestic policies and international standards,” said Nicolae Radita, director of the Agency for Interethnic Relations. “It showed that monitoring and reporting on human rights is a continuous process, which requires effective collaboration at all levels of administration.”
The participants in Comrat discussed a human rights based approach to legislative and decision-making processes as well as co-operation between the central and regional authorities. “This workshop has offered us a platform for dialogue on the harmonization of the legislation between Chisinau and Comrat, in particular the implementation of the 1994 Moldovan law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia,” said Grigori Dulger, a member of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia.
Since 2018, the OSCE Mission has been supporting state institutions in Moldova in their implementation of the National Strategy for Consolidation of Interethnic Relations for 2017‒2027. The strategy seeks to promote inclusivity and tolerance in Moldova, which are important preconditions for achieving the final settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict.