Authorities to cooperate with civil society to deal with family violence

The state authorities will cooperate with the civil society and with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Moldova to develop an integrated info system related to family violence, as they signed an agreement in this respect on Wednesday, September 10, Info-Prim Neo reports. The project will carry out a project called “Developing an integrated info system on family violence as part of an integrated management approach on family violence in Moldova.” The project – implemented by UNFPA, the Social Protection Ministry and the civil society – was launched on July 1 and is financed by the Romanian International Assistance Agency for Moldova. The Minister for Social Protection, Family and Child, Galina Balmos, has said at the signing ceremony the project envisages to develop the info system in two pilot-districts – Drochia and Cahul. “The system will contribute to strengthen the institutional capacities of the two districts in preventing, monitoring and assiting cases of violence in families,” she said. “Unfortunately, in the 21st century, the family violence phenomenon does exist and gains momentum. The state's intervention in fighting this scourge is very important,” said Boris Galca, the UNFPA office chief. The budget in the first stage is $118,000, as the Romanian Government will allocate means according to needs in 2009, 2010. The project is planned to expand in all the districts the coming two years. The leader of the “Gender-Center” NGO, Valentina Bodrug-Lungu, says the data will be collected mainly by the police and they will refer to the most severe infractions in families, as murders and injuries. Yet a big part of the family violence cases remain out of statistics and there are no references concerning the psychological statistics in Moldova, she said. The agreement has been signed by the Ministries of Family, Interior, Health, Local Administration, Info Development, the District Councils of Drochia and Cahul and by UNFPA Moldova.