Between 9 and 13 October 2017, a representative of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM), together with the representatives of other nongovernmental  organizations for the rights of persons with disabilities (Keystone Moldova, Center of Legal Assistance to Persons with Disabilities (CLAPD), the Association “MOTIVAȚIE” , Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (AOPD), and the Association “Sustainable Social Services”) took part in a study visit to Austria, an event organized by Easpd Brussels (the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities).

The purpose of the visit was resumed to familiarizing Moldova’s representatives with Austria’s practice, exchanging experience between the two countries, and taking over the good practices, especially with enforcing Article 33 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and creating an independent monitoring mechanism.

The success of the Austrian reform in defending the rights of persons with disabilities to a great extent depended on the efforts made by the civil society and the authorities, which mobilized themselves and worked in this sense, laying emphasis on improving the quality of life of the persons with disabilities and their social inclusion by removing the discriminatory practices and legal measures that impeded the enforcement of the Convention’s provisions.

The study visit was organized under the project “Promotion and Monitoring of the Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities from Residential Institutions,” implemented by Keystone Moldova, AOPD and EASPD from the funds of the European Union.

    

On 6 October 2017, the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) published the conclusions and recommendations for the Republic of Moldova on implementation and observance of the rights recognized and guaranteed through the signing of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) together with the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC) prepared and sent to CESCR a joint report focused on a comprehensive analysis of the respect for human rights, especially on the respect for the rights of persons with mental disabilities and for the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). The joint report included an analysis of the existing situation in Moldova in terms of the most frequent human rights violations and recommended making amendments to the national legislation, policies and practices that had generated violations of the rights guaranteed by the Covenant.

The contribution of IDOM and of the Moldovan civil society to improving the situation with observance of human rights found reflection in the CESCR’s recently published conclusions, in sense that most of the problems flagged and recommendations suggested are found in CESCR observations and conclusions.

In the PLHIV area, IDOM flagged violations of the rights of PLHIV through the failure to keep confidential private data about their health condition, and recommended that those legal acts that are subordinated to the law and allow disclosure of confidential information be cancelled; the need to make changes to Art.212 of the Moldovan Criminal Code by revising the criminalization of HIV transmission; removal of the criminalization of the expose to the HIV contamination risk; removal of discriminatory provisions that criminalize HIV infection only by a person who lives with HIV, etc. IDOM’s notifications in this area had been taken over and can be found in p.64 and p.65 of the CESCR Recommendations.

In the mental health area, IDOM flagged human rights violations through unjustified deprivation of legal capacity of persons with mental disabilities; prohibiting them to marry and create a family, violation of the rights on freedom to choose the place to live; discrimination of persons with disabilities in the social security area; violation of the right to the highest standard of physical and mental health by providing insufficient and unqualified medical assistance; subjecting the persons with disabilities to ill-treatment; speeding up the reform on the deinstitutionalization of persons with disabilities placed in psychiatric hospitals or psycho-neurological institutions; establishing protection measure that would be alternative to deprivation of legal capacity and guardianship and be focused on supported decision-making.

IDOM’s notifications, findings and recommendations were taken into account and some of them are found in CESCR Recommendations.

IDOM will continue monitoring the implementation and observance of CESCR recommendations by the authorities, which in fact are a priority and can also be found in the national strategies on justice and human rights for the following period.

Click here for the UN Committee recommendations:

http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=E%2FC.12%2FMDA%2FCO%2F3&Lang=En 

 

During August inst., the social workers of the “Positive Initiative” organization referred 11 beneficiaries of the Methadone Substitution Therapy Program to the lawyers of the Moldovan Human Rights Institution (IDOM) for consultation. 

This program’s beneficiaries invoked a number of problems in the complaints they addressed to IDOM, including:

1. Patients are not offered the necessary medical counseling, not even on their request;
2. Patients are refused periodic evaluations of the severity of their addiction. Patient supervision is not provided;
3. No individual treatment (support in treatment) plans with methadone substitution induction are prepared;
4. Some are refused to be enrolled in the Methadone Substitution Therapy Program, even if they meet the criteria for admission to the methadone-substitution treatment. There is groundless elimination of persons who already were in the program;
5. Sudden reduction of methadone dose, without coordinating the dose reduction pace with the patient. Failure to adjust the treatment scheme to patient’s needs. As a result, patients are wasted for two or three weeks;
6. Patient’s remission is not evaluated to determine the criteria for issue of methadone at home, even if they meet the criteria for home methadone prescription and have been under treatment for one or two years;
7. Patients are not offered a multidisciplinary (medical-psycho-social) approach; thus they are not encouraged to continue their treatment etc.

As a result of the interpellation sent by IDOM regarding the frequent violations of the rights of the beneficiaries of the Methadone Substitution Therapy Program, as part of the healthcare services provided by public medical-sanitary facilities, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection of Moldova requested that the medical and non-medical staff of its subordinated institutions be informed about the normative acts in this field and follow the ethics and deontological norms in providing medical assistance to the patients, without using negative practices of stigma and discrimination against the patients, including when providing specialized narcologic medical assistance.

Raspuns MSMPS

The Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) has helped another young man, aged 28, with psychosocial disabilities to recover his legal capacity, with the help of Lawyer Valerian Mămăligă and in cooperation with Keystone Moldova.

At 23 years of age the young man was declared incapacitated and was thus deprived of the right to make decisions for himself, including of the rights to create a family, to intimate, family and private life, to not be subject to discrimination based on disability, of the right to healthcare, to manage his own income etc.

On 6 October inst., the Hîncești District Court ruled the person capacitated, thus giving him the opportunity to live a fulfilled and independent life, in conditions of dignity and equality for everyone.

Find attached the court judgment in this case.

Anexa Hotarire Judecatoreasca

The World Mental Health Day was recognized by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) in 1992. The day provides for the opportunity to bring a priority public health issue in the public attention.

Mental health is a health component used by each of us to realize our intellectual, affective and relationship potential.

THE MOLDOVAN HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE (IDOM) is a nongovernmental organization from Moldova that promotes democratic change and contributes to reaching international human rights standards, providing space and tools for legal and institutional reforms for the welfare of each individual and of the society as a whole.

Hence, one of IDOM’s priority intervention areas is monitoring, defense and promotion of human rights of persons with mental disabilities in psychiatric and psycho-neurological institutions.

In March inst., the Moldovan Human Rights Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of labor, Social Protection and Family to support in reaching some of the objectives set out in Chapter IX, pt. C of the Activity Program of the Moldovan Government for 2016-2018, dedicated to the rights of persons with disabilities.

On 5 and 6 October 2017, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) held another training course for the staff of the General Police Inspectorate, as part of the activities of the project implemented in June inst. by IDOM in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău.

This time, the event took place in the town of Drochia, Moldova. The topic of the training workshop focused on strengthening police capacities to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against the persons held in custody.

Trainers in the training workshop were Vanu Jereghi – Director of IDOM, Dumitru Russu – Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM, Ion Caracuian – Chief of Section for Combating Torture of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Arcadie Astrahan – Director of the Mental Health Community Center of the Botanica district of Chisinau, and Anatolie Munteanu – Vice Minister of Justice.

At the end of the training, the participants received certificates of attendance.

This activity was possible thanks to the financial support of the Embassy of Czech Republic in Chișinău.

     

     

Today, 3 October 2017, the Training Center of Keystone Moldova hosted a round table for consulting the Analysis Report on the implementation of Article 33 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, prepared by the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) under the project “Promotion and Monitoring of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Residential Psycho-Neurological Institutions,” implemented by Keystone Moldova in cooperation with AOPD and EASPD, from EU funds.

Parascovia Munteanu, representative of Keystone Moldova, welcomed the participants. Then Dumitru Russu from IDOM presented the draft analysis report. The presentation was followed by discussions about the report, the participants made comments and recommendations.

Draft Raport de analiza mecanism de monitorizare a CRPD

On 27 September 2017, the representatives of the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) conducted two unannounced visits to the Temporary Detention Isolators of Taraclia and Basarabeasca Police Inspectorates.

The visits aimed at assessing how these institutions had implemented IDOM’s previous recommendations on observance of human rights in these institutions.

A detailed report will soon be published. Meanwhile, please read/download the other reports produced by IDOM after its monitoring visits to other temporary detention isolators. For more details, click here: http://idom.md/rapoarte/rapoarte-pe-izolatoare-de-detentie-provizorie/

     

In September inst., the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) organized four focus group discussions that were attended by circa 70 medical staff and several human rights activists. The events aimed at collecting medical doctor opinions about the need to draft functional legislation on medical malpractice that would be aligned to the international standards.

The School of Public Health Management hosted the discussions, welcoming the initiative of setting the need for drafting efficient policies that would ensure respect for the rights of all subjects involved in medical error cases. When identifying such errors, the direction and goal is to reinstate the injured rights as efficiently as possible, so that the negative impact is minimal on every party involved in the process.

This is not an easy task, having in mind the need to reach a consensus and good understanding among all the players involved: medical doctor, patient, National Medical Insurance Company, insurance company, manager of the medical facility, lawyer, mediator, medical committees, etc.

The key subjects discussed during the meetings were as follows:

• Finding a short description of the concept of medical malpractice and its conditions;
• Secure a national mechanism for the efficient protection of the rights of the medical community and of patients with regard to medical errors;
• Risks to which doctors and patients are subject in medical facilities, outside the medical act as such (functionality and efficiency of medical equipment, minimal conditions of inpatient treatment, quality and efficiency of medications, etc.);
• Ensure an informed patient agreement for medical interventions;
• Ensure an efficient expertise mechanism (cause-effect relation) in case of medical errors;
• Set the limits for material and moral liability for legally proved medical malpractice;
• The doctor-patient relation and provision of amiable reconciliation – as priority in settling medical malpractice issues.

The events were coordinated by the medical policy expert, university lecturer and doctor of philosophical sciences Ms. Rodica Rusu–Gramma, together with representatives of IDOM and of the Global Development Organization FHI 360.

After the consultations with the national experts in the field, a study to assess the needs of medical malpractice policies in Moldova will shortly be developed, subject to public consultations, and then submitted to the Government.

These events are held under the Project “Strengthening the Capacities of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, Persons with Mental Disabilities and Victims of Medical Malpractice in Moldova with Tools Necessary for Human Rights Protection and Defense,” implemented by IDOM thanks to the generous aid of the American people provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the USAID or US Government.

    

     

On 28 and 29 September, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) held a training course for the staff of the General Police Inspectorate, as part of the activities of the project implemented in June inst. by IDOM in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău.

The event took place at the tourist complex Odiseu in the resort town of Vadul lui Vodă. The topic of the training workshop focused on strengthening police capacities to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against the persons held in custody.

Trainers in the training workshop were Dumitru Russu – Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM, Vadim Ardeleanu – Chief of the Operational Management Division of the General Police Inspectorate, Ion Caracuian – Chief of Section for Combating Torture of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Andrei Lungu – Lawyer in the Litigation and Advocacy Program of IDOM, Anatolie Munteanu – Vice Minister of Justice, Arcadie Astrahan – Director of the Mental Health Community Center of the Botanica district of Chisinau.

At the end of the training, the participants received certificates of attendance.

This activity was possible thanks to the financial support of the Embassy of Czech Republic in Chișinău.

     

     

      

       

Other media news about the case discussed at this event:

1. http://md/ro/stiri/social/1094/Clipe-de-co%C8%99mar-%C3%AEn-Spitalele-de-Psihiatrie.htm
2. http://allmoldova.com/ro/news/din-cinci-cazuri-de-abuz-semnalate-la-psihiatrie-ministerul-sanatatii-ancheteaza-doar-unul
3. https://deschide.md/ro/stiri/social/18486/Probleme-de-sistem-scoase-la-iveal%C4%83-de-pretinsa-maltratare-la-Spitalul-Clinic-de-Psihiatrie.htm
4. http://realitatea.md/detalii-noi-in-cazul-pretinsei-maltratari-a-tinerei-la-spitalul-clinic-de-psihiatrie-reprezentan-ii-idom-au-remarcat-mai-multe-probleme-in-sistem_64465.html
5. http://timpul.md/articol/-probleme-de-sistem-scoase-la-iveala-de-pretinsa-maltratare-la-spitalul-clinic-de-psihiatrie–120026.html
6. https://www.google.com/url?q=http://md/ro/social/mama-unei-tinere-acuza-spitalul-clinic-de-psihiatrie-de-tortura/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjJ3qS97b_WAhXIDMAKHSihBmgQFggEMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGoANqLxgE8forvFrWHH-Tp0kdApw
7. http://ipn.md/ro/societate/86517
8. http://ipn.md/ro/societate/86511
9. http://ro/moldova/social/cinci-cazuri-incalcare-drepturilor-spitalele-psihiatrie1_59c60c535ab6550cb872c040/index.html
10. http://md/2017/09/22/video-pacienti-mutilati-in-ospiciile-din-tara-au-fost-loviti-cu-capul-de-pereti-legati-de-pat-si-injurati/
11. http://md/2017/09/23/pacienti-mutilati-ospiciile-din-tara-au-fost-loviti-cu-capul-de-pereti-legati-de-pat-si-injurati/https://com/news/social/o-pacient-de-la-spitalul-de-psihiatrie-codru-ar-fi-fost-maltratat-avoca-ii-idom-denunt-deficien-din/
12. http://www.e-sanatate.md/News/7445
13. http://md/institutul-pentru-drepturile-omului-a-documentat-5-cazuri-de-incalcare-a-drepturilor-in-spitalele-de-psihiatrie—56536.html

    

     

Dumitru Russu – Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM, together with an Ombudsman’s representative, spoke about the case of the young woman hospitalized at the Clinical Psychiatric Hospital in Chisinau and about the problem of abuse and ill-treatment in psychiatric institutions as well as of that of hostile attitude to and discrimination against the persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, in a show on Noroc TV, on 26 September 2017 – https://www.noroc.tv/emisiuni/ochiul_public/26-09-2017/cu_corina_mirzac_26_SEPTEMBER_2017/

On 21-22 September, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) holds a training course for feldshers employed by the General Police Inspectorate (GPI). This training is one of the activities carried out under a project implemented in June inst. by IDOM in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău.

The event takes place at the tourist complex Odiseu in the resort town of Vadul lui Vodă. The training focuses on strengthening the capacities of feldshers employed by the GPI to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against the persons held in police custody.

The trainers in the training are Dumitru Russu – Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM, Valerian Mămăligă – Lawyer in the Litigation and Advocacy Program of IDOM, Anatolie Munteanu – Vice Minister of Justice, Natalia Toporeț – forensic expert for cases of torture, Ion Caracuian – Chief of the Section for Combating Torture of the General Prosecutor’s Office.

Dumitru Russu opened the event. He spoke about human rights in general and about equality and the right not to be discriminated against. In the afternoon, Anatolie Munteanu will speak about the international and national standards on protection against ill-treatment. The topic of respect for the rights of persons living with HIV will be tackled today by Valerian Mămăligă.

Tomorrow, Ion Caracuian will speak about the safeguards of non-use of ill-treatment in police custody. Natalia Toporeț will follow, to speak about the medical aspects of torture and use of the methodology of medical examination and documentation of such cases. In the last session, Dumitru Russu will have a presentation about the rights of persons with mental impairments from the perspective of international standards.

At the end of the training, the participants will receive certificates of attendance.

This activity is possible thanks to the financial support of the Embassy of Czech Republic in Chișinău.

    

     

      

      

      

     

On 18 September 2017, the representatives of the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) paid an unannounced visit to the Temporary Detention Isolator of Briceni Police Inspectorate.

The visit aimed at assessing how this institution had implemented IDOM’s previous recommendations on observance of human rights in this institution.

    

     

A detailed report will soon be published.

Meanwhile, please read/download the other reports produced by IDOM after its monitoring visits to other temporary detention isolators. For more details, click here: http://idom.md/rapoarte/rapoarte-pe-izolatoare-de-detentie-provizorie/

 

Starting with today, 18 September 2017, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute is accredited to the 62^nd Session of the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), where our country will be reviewed against fulfilment of its commitments related to social, economic and cultural rights.

The right to health, right to an adequate standard of living, right to work, right to social guarantees etc. are some of the rights subject to a review by CESCR members.

To note that last time Moldova was reviewed by CESCR in 2011, when the country’s second periodic report was examined. After the hearing, CESCR put forward a range of recommendations to the Chişinău authorities, among which to insert provisions on the “reasonable accommodation” of persons with disabilities, to strengthen the efforts for settling the social-economic issues faced by the Roma population, to take immediate actions for creating and implementing vocational training programs for the persons with disabilities and their employment, etc.

The shadow report was presented to the Committee in August inst. after it was prepared by IDOM and Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CESCR/Shared%20Documents/MDA/INT_CESCR_CSS_MDA_28719_E.docx

The report focuses on the violations of the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS and of persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, and provides a critical view of relevant policies, legislation and practices.

In view of implementing the activities of the project started in June inst., the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) received financial support from the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău to organize the second training course for the staff of temporary detention isolation facilities of the northern region of Moldova, on 24 and 25 August 2017.

The event took place at the tourist complex Odiseu in the resort town of Vadul lui Vodă. The topic of the training workshop focused on strengthening the capacities of detention facility staff to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against persons held in such facilities.

The following were trainers in the workshop: Vanu Jereghi, Executive Director of IDOM, Dumitru Russu, Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM, Olesea Doronceanu, Lawyer of the Litigation and Advocacy Program of IDOM, Anatolie Munteanu, Vice Minister of Justice, Vadim Ardeleanu, Chief of the Operational Management Division of the General Police Inspectorate, Ion Caracuian, Chief of Section for Combating Torture, General Prosecutor’s Office, Radu Bobeică, Consultant in patient’s rights from IDOM, and Dumitru Paniș, Lawyer/Expert of the “Positive Initiative” Civic Association.

The IDOM Director made an opening speech, which was followed by a presentation of the organization and its training activities. The topic of police reform in the context of reducing ill-treatment of persons held in police custody was tackled by Vadim Ardeleanu in the first session. He was followed by Anatolie Munteanu who spoke about the international and national standards of protection against ill-treatment. The first day of the training ended with a presentation about the respect for human rights, equality and the right to not be discriminated, by Dumitru Russu.

On the second day of the training, Ion Caracuian spoke about the safeguards of non-use of ill-treatment in police custody. He was followed by Olesea Doronceanu who made a presentation about the rights of persons living with HIV. The observance of the rights of drug users held in police custody and examples in this sense were presented by Radu Bobeică and Dumitru Paniș. At the end, the Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM gave a speech about the rights of persons with mental impairments from the perspective of international standards.

    

     

On 28 June 2017, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Moldova, Zdeněk Krejči, and the Director of the Moldovan Human Rights Institute, Mr. Vanu Jereghi, signed a contract for implementing the project “Enhancing Police Capacity to Reduce Maltreatment, Abuse and Discrimination against Persons Held in Police Custody (including persons with HIV/AIDS, persons with mental disabilities, drug addicts, and other vulnerable groups)”, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic under the TRANSITION Program.

 

 

On 28 and 29 August 2017, IDOM held the third training course for the staff of temporary detention isolation facilities of the country’s southern region.

The event took place at the tourist complex Odiseu in the resort town of Vadul lui Vodă.

The topic of the training workshop focused on strengthening the capacities of detention facility staff to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against persons held in such facilities.

The Executive Director of IDOM Vanu Jereghi held an opening speech, followed by a presentation of the organization and its training activities. The topic of police reform in the context of reducing the ill-treatment of persons held in police custody was tackled in the first session by Vadim Ardeleanu, Chief of the Operational Management Division of the General Police Inspectorate. He was followed by Anatolie Munteanu, Vice Minister of Justice, who spoke about the international and national standards of protection against ill-treatment. “Respect for human rights, equality and the right to not be discriminated against” was the topic that ended the first session and was presented by Dumitru Russu, Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program of IDOM.

On the second training day, Ion Caracuian, Chief of the Section for Combating Torture of the General Prosecutor’s Office spoke about the safeguards of non-use of ill-treatment in police custody. He was followed by Olesea Doronceanu, Lawyer in the Litigation and Advocacy Program of IDOM, who spoke about the rights of persons living with HIV. A presentation on the observance of the rights of drug users held in police custody, with examples, was made by Andrei Lungu, Lawyer in the Litigation and Advocacy Program of IDOM and Dumitru Paniș, Lawyer/Expert of the “Positive Initiative” Civic Association. The session was ended by Dumitru Russu who held a speech on the rights of persons with mental impairments from the perspective of international standards.

At the end of the training, the participants were given certificates of attendance.

This activity was possible thanks to the financial support provided by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău.

    

     

In view of implementing the activities of the project started in June inst., the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) received financial support from the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chișinău to organize the first training course for the staff of temporary detention isolation facilities of the central region of Moldova on 22 and 23 August 2017.

The event took place at the tourist complex Odiseu in the resort town of Vadul lui Vodă.

The topic of the training workshop focused on strengthening the capacities of detention facility staff to prevent torture, reduce ill-treatment, abuse and discrimination against persons held in such facilities.

The following were trainers during the workshop:

• Vanu Jereghi – Executive Director, IDOM,
• Dumitru Russu – Coordinator of the Monitoring and Reporting Program, IDOM,
• Olesea Doronceanu – Lawyer in the Litigation and Advocacy Program, IDOM,
• Anatolie Munteanu – Vice Minister of Justice,
• Vadim Ardeleanu – Chief of Operational Management Division of the General Police Inspectorate,
• Ion Caracuian – Chief of Section for Combating Torture, General Prosecutor’s Office,
• Arcadie Astrahan – Director of Mental Health Community Center, Botanica district of Chisinau, and expert in human rights in healthcare.

A topic tackled in the first session was about the police reform in the context of reducing the ill-treatment of persons held in police custody, by Vadim Ardeleanu. This was followed by a presentation on the international and national standards on protection against ill-treatments, by Anatolie Munteanu. And Arcadie Astrahan spoke about the respect for the rights of drug users.

On the second training day, Ion Caracuian spoke about the safeguards of non-use of ill-treatment in the police custody, followed by Olesea Doronceanu who spoke about the rights of persons living with HIV. During the last session, Dumitru Russu made a presentation on the rights of persons with mental impairments from the perspective of international standards.

    

     

 

On 22 March 2017, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) for a few hours hosted a meeting with the representatives of the civil society of the Transnistrian region. At this event, the participants learned about IDOM’s work, especially as related to the fight for human rights in Moldova, its lobby and advocacy activities, and its experience with using the UN mechanisms for promoting human rights. They also exchanged good practices of organizational development, etc. This study visit was organized by the Non-Discrimination Coalition under the project “Bridging the Gap – Building Organizational Capacities of Local Human Rights Defenders in Transnistria,” implemented with the financial support of the European Endowment For Democracy.

On 28 June 2017, the Moldovan Human Rights Institute (IDOM) organized a national conference entitled “Deficiencies and Solutions in Securing Respect for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities Held in the Moldovan Psychiatric and Psycho-Neurological Institutions. Together for A Society Without Barriers”. 

The conference was structured into sessions that aimed to clarify the status quo with regard to the respect for the rights and freedoms of persons with mental disabilities (right to a decent living, right to not be subject to ill-treatment, right to privacy and family life, right to reproductive health, right to an informed consent to treatment, right to health, right to property, etc.).

The last session was dedicated to the process of deinstitutionalization as a measure to ensure observance of the safeguards of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Each session had time allocated for debates and discussions aimed at identifying solutions for overcoming the country’s gaps in securing and observing the rights and freedoms of the residents of psychiatric and psycho-neurological institutions.

The event took place at the National Institute of Justice (room 4) at 1 S. Lazo Str., starting with 9:00 AM.

This activity was possible thanks to the financial support provided by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).