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Ten communities in Gagauzia will have teams aiming to reduce violence against women


https://www.ipn.md/en/ten-communities-in-gagauzia-will-have-teams-aiming-to-reduce-7967_1090405.html

Multidisciplinary teams will be set up and empowered in ten communities of the Gagauz autonomy to prevent and combat domestic violence and people from risk groups will be supported, including by facilitating their employment. The activities are part of the project “Combating violence against women in Gagauzia, Republic of Moldova” implemented by UNDP with the support of the Government of Romania, IPN reports.

Multidisciplinary teams will be created through the decision of mayors and will include all specialists responsible for preventing violence at the local level – social workers, police officers, as well as schools and kindergartens’ staff. At the same time, representatives of CSOs and local initiative groups will be involved. With the support of the project, the members of the multidisciplinary teams will be trained to intervene promptly in any case of violence.

The project envisages a campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence. The project will also provide support in developing local plans to prevent and combat violence and in consulting these with the communities. Multidisciplinary teams will undertake execution of these documents and will identify means to implement the proposed measures.

Survivors of violence can be referred to the specialized center opened in the region in 2020 by UNDP and the Gagauzia’s Executive with the support of the Republic of Korea. The center provides social, psychological, and legal counseling, but also assists in finding a job.

“The prevention of gender-based violence is equally important as the response and the provision of services for survivors of violence. UNDP and the Government of Romania are extending their support to communities from the Gagauzia region. We will be working with the local administration, the various professionals (educators, social assistants, police officers) and citizens to address the structural causes as well as the risk and protective factors, associated with violence,” said Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova.

“We are happy to continue our partnership with UNDP Moldova through this contribution with a real social and cultural impact and we will continue to support the efforts of the partners involved in this project, as well as in other projects targeting sustainable development of Gagauzia region and of all communities in the Republic of Moldova,” said Mihai Sandu, Deputy Director General of RoAid.

The ten localities are the villages of Avdarma, Besalma, Congazcic, Svetlii, Tomai, Joltai, Gaidar, Besghioz, Etulia, and the town of Taraclia. Romania offered €75,000 for the project through a contribution made by RoAid – the Romanian Agency for International Development Cooperation.  Thanks to the support of the project, the number of multidisciplinary teams in the Gagauz autonomy will increase to 21.