Moldovan children are not heard

The children in Moldova are not heard and are not a priority in decision making. The issue of the children that remained without supervision as their parents went abroad to work was discussed at a roundtable meeting on Wednesday, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Given that 80% of the minors in residential institutions have parents, we should identify solutions to make the process of protecting the rights and freedoms of the children more efficient,” said the ombudswoman for children’s rights Tamara Plamadeala, who moderated the discussion. Angela Ganea, representative of the Moldova Noastra Alliance, considers that the children can be protected by changing the attitude towards the given issue. “No one is interested in the situation of the child that went abroad or that remained without parental care. The Ministry of Social Protection covers up the real situation and provides inaccurate information. We must change this state of affairs and promote real child rehabilitation programs.” “I think that the intention to deinstitutionalize the children and place them in families is premature,” said the representative of the Social Democratic Party, councilor in the Chisinau Council Ada Boico. “The number of orphans or abandoned children rises every year. Their problems can be solved only by the Government, which should provide workplaces, social dwellings, etc.” UNICEF project coordinator Silvia Lupan said that the vocational education system should be modernized. “We remained at the same level as in 1970-1980. The interests of the children are not taken account of. Most of the children in boarding schools want to become seamstresses, tailors and cooks. We must offer them opportunities in all the sectors of the national economy.” The children who attended the even said that they need more information and moral support on the part of the adults. They think that the involvement of children in decision making would be beneficial. The Child Rights Information and Documentation Center issued the brochure “Home Alone” for the minors that remained alone at home and “My Child is Alone at Home” for the parents working abroad. The participants in the roundtable meeting backed the ombudswoman’s idea of initiating a national fund for supporting child protection programs. But this fund can be created only by the future MPs. The meeting was organized by the Human Rights Center of Moldova.