Campaign on prevention of begging re-launched in Moldova

Chisinau, 11 April /MOLDPRES/ - The number of children begging on Moldovan capital’s streets has been increasing in the last years. To combat this scourge, the Chisinau authorities today re-launched a campaign titled, No Longer Give Them Money! Help Us Protect Them!  

The deputy head of the municipal department for the protection of the rights of the child, Lucia Caciuc, has said that 12 minors and 5 mothers begging on streets were identified in 2018. According to Caciuc, most of them are from outside of the Chisinau municipality. Lucia Caciuc noted that, despite authorities’ actions, the situation of the children exploited through begging was not improving. She also said that citizens were doing nothing but contributing to the exploitation and illiteracy of children, through giving money to people who are begging.  

„Practically all people found on street are in the files of local tutorial bodies; all benefit from state allowances and in some cases, they are also backed by non-governmental organizations. They are informed about the possibility of accessing various services meant for socially vulnerable families, about the unlawfulness of their actions and the danger of being on street. They are in full knowledge of this and, nevertheless, they go to street and take risks. Each child on street alarms us, while he/she must be at school, kindergarten on the arms of the mother,” Lucia Caciuc said.  

The campaign is backed also by Ombudswoman for the Protection of Child Rights Maia Banarescu. At the re-launch of the campaign, she said that each case of children who beg was examined and decision-makers were intervening depending on the situation. Banarescu urged citizens to call 112, if they see a child begging on street.      

The Moldovan capital’s authorities have repeatedly warned that the number of people begging on Chisinau streets was increasing with the warming of the weather.