Representatives of civil society organizations (SCOs) active in the promotion of the rights of vulnerable groups are concerned about the lack of financing of programs for supporting vulnerable groups in the state budget law for 2021. The pandemic and the state of emergency had a negative impact on the quality of life of vulnerable groups and their families, with the access to medical, educational and social services being further limited. The SCOs ask to take measures to support the vulnerable groups.
In a news conference at IPN, executive director of the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities Galina Klimov said that after analyzing the draft, the SCOs formulated a number of proposals. “As the pandemic will continue in 2021, we consider it is necessary to include actions that would diminish the pandemic situation’s impact on vulnerable groups, namely persons with disabilities, older persons, young people and the Roma,” stated Galina Klimov.
The platform of organizations active in the promotion of the rights of vulnerable groups signed a common apple to Parliament and the parliamentary commissions. “We ask to allocate the funds needed for ensuring the access of children with disabilities to online educational services. The situation in times of crisis shows that the children with disabilities and their families didn’t benefit from educational services as they do not possess the necessary devices and equipment and do not have money to pay for Internet services so as to have access to educational services. We also request to allocate financial resources for making information accessible to persons with different types of disabilities,” stated Galina Klimov, adding that it is also necessary to earmark funds for digitizing social and medical services.
Cristina Railean, policy and advocacy coordinator at HelpAge International Moldova, said that after monitoring the electoral promises of candidates, they ascertained that among these are the raising of pensions and improvement of the living conditions of older persons. The small allowances for the social protection of older persons shows the real attitude to these vulnerable groups that are at risk of infection. “We ask to review the resources allocated for the social protection of the elderly so that appropriately planned actions and measures are implemented, while the income of the older persons covers at least the minimum consumer basket,” stated Cristina Railean.
Ion Duminică, of the Coalition “Voice of the Roma”, noted that the Roma this year suffered as a result of the pandemic. The state budget for next year does not include funds for improving the living conditions of the Roma community. The organization asked to earmark funds for community mediators and for costs related to the launch of the Bureau for Relations with the Roma Population.
Roman Banari, secretary general of the National Youth Council, said the programs for the protection of the family and child should be extended and developed so that they cover the venerable groups that now do not benefit from social payments. These should be appropriately supported. Also, the allocations for the youth component next year should be maintained at the level of the previous year – 20 million lei.
