Moldova's first lady participates in international conference on millennium development goals

Chisinau, 17 January /MOLDPRES/ - Moldovan First Lady Margareta Timofti participated in an international conference titled: "Lessons learned based on Millennium Development Goals: Prospects for post-2015 development agenda," held in Vienna, Austria, on 14-16 January. The event was organised by the Academic Council of United Nations System (ACUNS), the presidential press service has reported.

On the first day of the meeting, Margareta Timofti gave a speech on the implementation of the sustainable development goals in Moldova, as well as the priorities of the post-2015 development agenda, worked out after large-scale national consultations, held with participation of political leaders, public servants and civil society representatives.

„The development direction of my country, guided by European aspirations, implies promotion of a society based on democratic principles, tolerance, inclusion and participation, gender equality and welfare for everybody, as well as economic progress in harmony with the environment,” Margareta Timofti said.

On the second day of the forum, Margareta Timofti took part in a session on gender equality and women's empowerment. Timofti said that Moldova continued to integrate gender issues in all national development policies.

„Women’s emancipation represents a decisive condition for a prosperous society based on observance of human rights and rule of law state. To this end, the Governmental Committee for Gender Equality was set up, which has the task to coordinate and monitor all activities of the public authorities in this sector,” Timofti said.

At the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) headquarters, Margareta Timofti met Deputy Executive Director, HIV/AIDS Global Coordinator Aldo Lale-Demoz and the chief of HIV/AIDS Section, Branch Health and Preventing Drugs Monica Beg.

UNODC representatives welcomed the progress made by the Moldovan authorities in fighting trafficking in drugs, organised crime, preventing and combating the trafficking of human beings. They informed about their intention to open a UNODC Resource Centre in Chisinau.