Moldovan premier, UNICEF representative broach child rights

Chisinau, 13 April /MOLDPRES/-Prime Minister Pavel Filip held a meeting with UNICEF Representative in Moldova Nune Mangasaryan today. The officials discussed successes and cooperation plans in the field of child rights' observance in Moldova, as well as ways to ensure optimal conditions for a better growth, education and development of children, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.  

On this occasion, Filip thanked UNICEF for the assistance it offers Moldova to help it enforce reforms and implement international best practices and also to develop the educational, social protection, justice and health sectors.

“Problems related to child safety and observance of their rights, are tightly connected to Moldova’s economic prosperity. We are convinced that we will succeed to improve the situation in this field and ensure a decent future for our children,” the prime minister said.

For her part, Nune Mangasaryan praised Moldova’s results in the field, touching upon its success to include up to ten times more children with special needs in educational institutions especially designed for them (from 1,253 in 2010 to 10,393 in 2016). Moldova also succeeded to reduce the mortality rate of children under the age of five and decrease the number of minors sentenced to prison.

“We are glad that besides deciding to chair the National Council for Child Rights Protection, you came up with constructive proposals to settle current problems. It proves the attention our children get and hopefully this sector will continue to be on the list of priorities of your cabinet,” Mangasaryan said.

The sides have also focused on alleviating poverty among families with more children. To this effect, authorities will carry out a mechanism aimed to allot payments, in order to ensure social equity and reduce the number of people with incomes below the existence minimum.

The officials also spoke about the children with parents working abroad. According to a study carried out by UNICEF, four per cent of the Moldovan children have their both parents working abroad, while 20 per cent of them are being educated by a single parent.

“Unlike economic and financial crises, which can be overcome, the consequences of moral crises last for longer. Material satiety cannot replace moral values and a direct relationship children and their parents have. At the same time, the government will do its best to offer Moldovan citizens a decent income at home and provide them with opportunities to educate their children and ensure a safe future for all the families,” Filip said.

Moldova joined the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1993. UNICEF inaugurated its representative office in Chisinau two years later.

(Editor L. Alcaza)