The local public administration can efficiently cooperate with local nongovernmental organizations in identifying and solving social problems encountered by the settlements and the vulnerable persons, Liubov Nemcinov, the president of the International Society for Human Rights – the Moldovan Section (ISHR-MS) ), said at a seminar titled “Management of Improvement Processes and Strategies”. As Info-Prim Neo reports, the seminar was organized as part of the project “A New Approach to Poverty Reduction in Moldova” financed by the EU and managed by ISHR-MS. Liubov Nemcinov said that the event forms part of a set of 20 seminars held as part of the project. They aim to strengthen the partnership between the local authorities and the nongovernmental sector and to join efforts in solving acute local social problems. “The seminars started earlier this month. Two seminars were held in Cahul and two in Soroca. I must say that I liked the courageous ideas formulated by the NGO representatives and the local authorities for solving such problems as the water supply in villages, removing unauthorized waste dumps, repairing rural infrastructure facilities, creating workplaces for vulnerable groups of people, integrating them into the society,” Nemcinov said. German expert Andreas Bieschice, who teaches a course on the management of cooperation between the local authorities and NGOs, said that during the course he will also speak about the German experience as regards cooperation between the local administration and the NGOs and strengthening of the capacity of the two partners, including the implementation of the international quality management system ISO in the public administration and at NGOs. The project will also provide social and psychological assistance to women detainees and former women detainees. Leonid Voloh, social assistant for the project, said that 48 former detainees of Rusca penitentiary will take hairdresser courses and will be provided with the necessary equipment. Later, they could find a job or even start their own businesses. The women detainees also received psychological assistance and were helped to have meetings with their children. The project “A New Approach to Poverty Reduction in Moldova” was launched in January 2009 and will last by December 2010. The technical assistance is worth 700,000 euros. The implementation partners of ISHR-MS are Gustav Stresemann Institut e.V.(CIS) - European Academy, Bonn and Pro NGO! e.V. The International Society for Human Rights – Moldovan Section is a nongovernmental, nonprofit, public organization set up in 1998. It was registered with the Ministry of Justice of Moldova in February 1999. Presently, the ISHR-MS has 115 members that defend human rights using legal means and carry out activities aimed at promoting greater awareness of human rights.