At the State University of Chisinau (USM) some 120 students learned about the role of the Council of Europe in promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women. During his visit to the Republic of Moldova, Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge engaged with the students, discussing the situation in the country and encouraging them to use their digital knowledge to combat the escalating issue of online violence against women. “We need your knowledge and expertise. Call out harmful behaviour and be the proactive agents for change that we all need.”
Vlada Fărîmă, a student at USM participated in the exchange and said “Gender equality has become the topic of the 21st century. We discuss it at home, we discuss it in public places such as universities, schools and with friends. It has indeed become part of our social life. As a young person I can say that navigating through social expectations and stereotypes can be challenging.”
Another student, Dorin Hotineanu, said that he learned a lot of practical ways to tackle the problems linked to gender inequality and violence against women. “The Council of Europe has a fundamental role, and it is really instrumental in promoting human rights, gender equality and rule of law in its member states, for example in the Republic of Moldova.
The Deputy Secretary General commended the Republic of Moldova for the significant steps taken in ratifying and starting to implement the Istanbul Convention, the "gold standard" for European countries to combat violence against women.
The State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Felicia Bechtoldt, explained that two national programmes have been approved by the government – a Programme for Promoting and Ensuring Gender Equality for 2023-2027 and a National Programme for Preventing and Combatting Domestic Violence for 2023-2027 aligned with the Istanbul Convention. "These national programmes are important mechanisms, which help to elevate and prioritise actions to achieve gender equality and tackle domestic violence in the Republic of Moldova.”
The State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Felicia Bechtoldt, explained that two national programmes have been approved by the government – a Programme for Promoting and Ensuring Gender Equality 2023-2027 and a National Programme for Preventing and Combatting Domestic Violence 2023-2027 - aligned with the Istanbul Convention. "These national programmes are important mechanisms, which help to elevate and prioritise actions to achieve gender equality and to tackle domestic violence in the Republic of Moldova.”
Dorin Hotineanu, student at USM
Vlada Fărîmă, student at USM
