On 2 April 2013, Promo-LEX sent an advisory note to the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family with regard to the draft of the Child and Family Protection Strategy for the years  2013-2020.

In its respective note, the Association welcomed the efforts of the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family to adopt mechanisms of defense of children’s rights in Moldova and encouraged the actions undertaken in that regard by the Ministry and other specialized authorities.

At the same time, Promo-LEX remains concerned with the fact that the issue of respecting the rights of children from the Eastern region of Moldova or measures to prevent violations of their rights are not found amongst the priorities of the mentioned draft Strategy. Thus the strong points for preventing violations of children’s rights cannot extend to the Eastern part of the country.

We believe that the Child and Family Protection Strategy cannot be founded on principles of discrimination or neglect of children who live on the territory of Moldova. Is is precisely  neglect that may be observed when a national strategy is developed without taking into consideration the situation of the residents of the Transnistrian region. While approximately 4000 children from the region need complete and permanent care from the Moldovan state, the Moldovan authorities show their inability to implement and enforce children’s rights in the Transnistrian region.

Henceforth, we suggest that the following general objective be included in the above mentioned Strategy: Extension of the system of respecting and protection of children’s rights to the Transnistrian region, along with the following specific goals:

1. Establishing a custodial authority for the Transnistrian region second level administrative-territorial unit (for administrative-territorial units on the left bank of the Nistru river see Law no. 764 of 27.12.2001) which will be in charge of organizing and performing custody, carrying out the evidence of children, regulating the adoption procedure, etc.

2. Launching and continuing the process of documentation of children born in the Transnistrian region, including those who have not been registered. Facilitating the procedure of issuing birth certificates to children whose birth had not been properly registered.

3. A nondiscriminatory social insurance of children from the Transnistrian region and setting up a process of providing social aid to vulnerable families from the Transnistrian region.

4. Conducting a census of children in the region. Establishing a database of children who are in need, abused, have special needs or disabilities, are aggressed, trafficked, etc.

5. Adopting an efficient system and mechanism of response and defense of basic human rights and freedoms of children residents of the Transnistrian region.