Each fourth person in Moldova felt discriminated over last year, study

The people suffering from mental and physical disabilities are the most discriminated persons in Moldova. This is the conclusion of the study “Moldovan Population’s Perceptions of Discrimination” that was launched on February 23. The study says that a large part of the people avoid going to the policlinic, the police or mayor’s office or going out as they are afraid to be discriminated, Info-Prim Neo reports. The respondents consider that besides the persons with physical and mental disabilities, the poor people, the HIV-infected persons, the elderly, the persons with nontraditional sexual orientation, and the Romany people are also discriminated. Most often, the Moldovans are discriminated at the workplace, in the hospital or in education institutions. At the workplace, the persons are discriminated owing to their state of health, sexual orientation, age and sex, while in health and education institutions – because they do not have money. The study reveals that each fourth person felt discriminated over the last year. 68% of those polled had been insulted verbally, 10% had been intimidated, while 8% had been threatened and intimidated. Among the most violated rights are the right to work, the right to be remunerated in accordance with the work done, the right to health, the right to social protection, and the right to justice. The same study says that some of the people who are witnesses to discrimination choose not to get involved. Only 30% of those questioned encouraged discriminated persons, urging them to seek justice in court. The authors of the study recommend adopting a law on the prevention and combating of discrimination and adjusting the legislation to the European norms on equality of chances and combating of discrimination. Lilia Rusu, consultant at the Justice Ministry’s General Legislation Division, said that such a bill has been approved by the Government this month and was submitted to Parliament for adoption. The bill also provides for the creation of the Council for the Prevention and Combating of Discrimination. The authors also recommend imposing efficient penalties for discrimination and founding an independent national institution that would assist the victims of discrimination. The study was made within the Equality and Civic Participation Program of Soros Foundation Moldova in March-September 2010. It covered a sample of 1,200 persons from 25 towns and 63 villages.