Refugees from Ukraine in Moldova will now be able to access free legal aid assistance, provided by the four Regional Dialogue Platforms for Access to Justice and supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Sweden. The initiative will help people to register for refugee status, obtain identity and employment documents and enroll their children in schools or kindergartens, and will be available in the Soroca, Criuleni and Cimislia districts, as well as in the Gagauzia region, IPN reports.
“Sweden, together with UNDP, are helping to respond to the immediate needs of dozens of women, older people and children sheltered in Soroca, Criuleni, Cimișlia and Comrat. Our local partners, the NGOs working in the four regions, are on the front line continuing to promote and protect the rights of people in vulnerable situations,” said Katarina Fried, Swedish Ambassador in Chisinau.
“People who fled the war in Ukraine and found shelter in Moldova, especially women, children, and older people, need legal support to help integrate with host communities. That is why UNDP and Sweden, through the partnerships established at the local level with the Justice Dialogue Platforms and NGOs, are supporting free legal advice to help people apply for identity documents, enroll their children in kindergartens and schools and seek employment,” noted Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova.
Psycho-social counseling, in individual and group sessions, is also being provided, with counselors conducting sessions in Ukrainian to ensure they are accessible to all. The regional platform also aims to employ refugees to take on the role of psycho-social support leads, and also as teachers, leading activities for children and young people coming from Ukraine.
With the support of Sweden and UNDP, more than 2,500 packages of hygiene and food products will also be offered.
