Enhancing employment rights in the Republic of Moldova

About the project

Social rights are core European values enshrined in a number of formal commitments undertaken by Council of Europe Member States, including the Republic of Moldova. Respect for and the promotion of social rights are essential in attaining sustainable democracy.

The Council of Europe standards in the field of social and economic rights are enshrined in the European Social Charter. The implementation of the European Social Charter by States Parties is supervised by the European Committee of Social Rights through the collective complaints procedure and the reporting system. The Republic of Moldova ratified the revised European Social Charter on 8 November 2001 and has accepted 63 of the 98 paragraphs. It has not accepted the Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints.

During January 2023 – December 2025 the Council of Europe will implement the project “Enhancing employment rights in the Republic of Moldova” (hereinafter – the project), which is the first full-fledged project implemented by the Council of Europe in the field of social labour rights in the Republic of Moldova. The project is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024 and is co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency and the Council of Europe.

The project pursues the overall objective of enhancing the observance of social labour rights in line with international standards and facilitating the access of persons from vulnerable groups to vocational education and training and subsequent employment.

The project will pay due regard to the country’s priorities set in different strategic papers such as the Development Strategy “Education 2030”, the European Union - Republic of Moldova Association Agreement, the European Commission Opinion on the Republic of Moldova’s application for membership of the European Union as well as the Framework Strategy of the Austrian Development Cooperation with the European Union Eastern Partner Countries for the Republic of Moldova.

Project duration: 36 months (January 2023 – December 2025).

Project leaflet, publications, reports and studies

Project leaflet

European Committee of Social Rights Conclusions 2022 with regard to the Republic of Moldova

Report on the needs assessment in the field of social rights with a specific focus on labour rights and employment rights of persons from vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova

Fourth report on the non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter

How can National Human Rights Institutions and National Equality Bodies engage with the European Committee of Social Rights under the monitoring system of the European Social Charter

Leaflet on key achievements 2023 - 2024

Digest of the case law of the European Committee of Social Rights

Strengthen the capacities of government officials to promote and protect social and employment rights, particularly employment rights of persons from vulnerable groups, in line with European standards

Strengthen the capacities of VET institutions to become more inclusive and gender sensitive, and better able to identify and attract girls and boys/women and men from vulnerable groups and NEET youth

Facilitate the access to the labour market for vulnerable groups in the VET system

News

Back Enhancing social and employment rights of persons from vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova

Natalia MOGHILDA

Modified 1 Year ago.

Enhancing social and employment rights of persons from vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova

The Council of Europe and the Austrian Development Agency together with national partners launched today a project focused on enhancing the observance of social labour rights in the Republic of Moldova. The project aims to ensure the implementation of international standards and facilitate the access of persons from vulnerable groups to vocational education and training and their subsequent employment.

“This project is very valuable for us because it encompasses one of the Austrian Development Agency’s key principles of the cooperation with the Republic of Moldova: «Leave no one behind». Thus, we focus on vulnerable groups, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people from rural areas to better integrate them into the labour market. This project is very timely as there are many ongoing reforms such as the reform of the State Labour Inspection and other necessary measures to implement the commitments that the country has assumed. The essence of this intervention is the alignment of the national legal framework with European standards to promote and protect social rights and the right to employment, stated H.E. Stella Avallone, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Moldova

The project “Enhancing employment rights in the Republic of Moldova” is the first Council of Europe fully-fledged project implemented in the field of social labour rights in the Republic of Moldova. To be carried out from 2023 to 2025, the project will strengthen the capacities of public officials to promote and protect social and employment rights, particularly employment rights of persons from vulnerable groups, in line with international standards. In addition, it will assist the vocational education and training institutions to become more inclusive, gender sensitive and better able to identify, attract, girls and boys as well as women and men from vulnerable groups. It will further facilitate the access to the labour market for persons from vulnerable groups in the vocational education and training system.

“Vulnerable groups often face discrimination in the labour market and may have limited access to vocational education and training. It is important to ensure their inclusion and provide them with equal opportunities to acquire skills and find employment. The ambitious project launched today considers it as a priority for action in the Republic of Moldova. The Council of Europe’s European Social Charter guarantees a broad range of everyday human rights related to employment, housing, health, education, social protection, and welfare” mentioned Giulia Re, Head of Council of Europe Office in Chisinau a.i.

The project “Ensuring employment rights in the Republic of Moldova” is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024 and is co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency and the Council of Europe.

17 May 2023

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Who we work with?

The project is implemented in cooperation with the Parliamentary Commission on social protection, health and family, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, State Labour Inspectorate, National Agency for Employment (and territorial branches), National Trade Union, People’s Advocate Office (Ombudsperson Institution), Council for eliminating and preventing discrimination and ensuring equality, selected VET institutions.

Who benefits from the project?

The project targets Staff from the State Labour Inspectorate; legal professionals (judges, lawyers); representatives from National Human Rights Institution and civil society organisations specialised in equal opportunities; trade union representatives, management, teachers and students of VET institutions; persons from vulnerable/disadvantaged groups, in particular persons with disabilities, Roma, Roma women; NEET youth. The final beneficiaries are the general population, benefitting from enhanced protection of employment rights.