Reflecting social problems in press is a step forward in solving them

The Association of Independent Press (API) finished the project “Establishing efficient partnerships for improving local social services”, implemented with the financial support of the DFID Section at the British Embassy in Moldova. The representative of the DFID Moldova, Silvia Apostol, stated during the project’s evaluation conference on Thursday, December 28, that the reflection of the social issues in the mass-media is a step ahead towards solving the country’s social problems. She welcomed the fact that the project focused not just on identifying social problems, but also on finding solutions to these problems, because the dissemination of these practices could contribute to the implementation of this experience by more citizens Apostol mentioned that DFID, which is responsible for the poverty reduction in several states, will support a more ample project in Moldova in the near future. The new programme would be focused on reforming the social assistance. According to the director of API, Petru Macovei, the project contributed to the improvement of the citizens’ information about the efforts made in order to solve the most serious problems in different regions of Moldova, to publicizing the positive experience of local public administrations and social NGOs, to a more active implication of citizens in the process of solving community problems, to increasing the professionalism of journalists from local independent newspapers in social problems, to the improvement of team-work experience. During 11 months, media workshops and round tables have been organized in the regions, on the topic of local social policies. 7 teams of journalists published 84 articles on social topics, in independent and local newspapers. Some of them have been re-published in “Timpul de dimineata” and ”Jurnal de Chisinau”. Some of the social problems reflected - tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, trafficking in human beings, unemployment, juvenile delinquency, alcoholism, situation of older people, water supply of localities, situation of orphan children and persons with disabilities etc.