Although Moldova has legislation that guarantees human rights, including for people with disabilities, the situation remains dire, especially for individuals with severe disabilities, those bedridden, or with lifelong disabilities from childhood. These groups are particularly vulnerable to barriers created by the state, stated Radu Bobeica, a lawyer at the Center for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CDPD), during a public debate organized by IPN News Agency. To mitigate these barriers and ensure full social inclusion, the lawyer advocates for the active involvement of people with disabilities in drafting public policies, legislation, and budgets related to this sector.
Radu Bobeica emphasized that the right to social assistance and protection is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities but is often less effective in practice. "As of April 1, 2024, the disability pension for severe disabilities is set at 2083 lei. These are the most vulnerable individuals who obtained this degree of disability before the age of 18. They receive 2083 lei, while the minimum subsistence level, which includes the basic consumer basket, is approximately 3500 lei in urban areas. The disparity is evident", the lawyer noted.
Bobeica also highlighted the critical state of the personal assistant service. Thousands of citizens are waiting for personal assistants, who earn a salary of about 5000 lei, but the low wages discourage professionals from taking these positions. As a result, the most vulnerable groups, particularly those with severe disabilities, are effectively neglected. The lawyer stressed that decision-makers, including state leadership, must consider the needs of people with disabilities when drafting budgets and allocating resources.
He also called for prioritizing the issue of deinstitutionalizing individuals with disabilities. According to Bobeică, the first step should involve assessing residents in care centers for persons with disabilities to determine how many could fully integrate into society, the number of social housing units needed, measures required for their integration, and the situation of bedridden individuals requiring constant care. Furthermore, there should be an assessment of those with limited work capacity (20%-30%) to identify job opportunities and develop the necessary infrastructure.
The public debate on the topic "Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities" is part of the project "IPN News Agency for Social Cohesion and Pro-European Moldova", funded by IMS.
