Efforts must continue to focus on changing mindsets regarding the issue of gender-based violence, says Adriana Cazacu, State Secretary in the Ministry of Education. According to her, the priority should be shaping or transforming the mindset of children, students, and young people. Cazacu assures that the ministry has developed and is in the process of implementing an anti-bullying methodology, which includes a component on gender-based violence, IPN reports.

Adriana Cazacu notes that perceptions are changing, as evidenced by reports submitted by general education institutions regarding the identification and reporting of violence cases.

"Year by year, the number of such cases increases. This does not mean that we are more violent or that there are more incidents, but rather that those involved are now identifying and reporting these cases or are willing to talk about them," Adriana Cazacu stated during the event “Do You See Me? Reflections and Actions from the 16 Days of Activism Campaign”.

Cazacu highlighted the importance of teacher training, noting that over 1,000 educators have already received training on topics related to gender relations and human rights. Efforts are also being directed at children, with these topics included in the national curriculum.

"We have two mandatory school subjects on this theme—personal development, and several optional courses. Additionally, we are currently developing a study on sexual violence. Last year, some cases of sexual violence among female students were reported in the public domain. Therefore, we aim to work in this direction", said Adriana Cazacu.

Angela Cutasevici, Deputy Mayor of the capital, mentioned that municipal authorities are also taking action to ensure women in Chișinău feel safe. Chișinău City Hall has joined the global commitment "Safe Cities for Women and Girls", which involves a series of measures to improve safety.

"The first pillar will be education and prevention, key aspects that have been somewhat missing in our community. The second pillar will involve support and reporting interventions. This will include digital tools for reporting unsafe areas and recording incidents of any type of violence", Angela Cutasevici said.

Violence remains a harsh reality in Moldova. Since the beginning of the year, 22 women have died as a result of abuse. This figure is comparable to last year when 21 women lost their lives in similar circumstances during the same period.