UNICEF reminds all duty bearers in Moldova of their responsibility to respect and ensure children’s rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child are protected. The statement was made in response to a video report that showed highly disturbing images of physical abuse of children from the Orhei residential institution for boys with disabilities and that suggested that systematic mistreatment, neglect and abuse of children residing in this institution is taking place, IPN reports.

Recently, the media disseminated images of children from this institution. Some of these had evident signs of physical violence, while a child had the penis injured as one of the nurses was inattentive when she changed the diapers. It was dirty in the institution’s kitchen and there were beetles wandering through food products.

UNICEF underlines the obligation of national authorities to monitor the quality of care and the protection of children placed under their custody. UNICEF urges the government to ensure unrestricted access to child care institutions for independent human rights monitoring bodies such as the Ombudsperson’s Office and accredited Human Rights civil society partners.

UNICEF appeals to the authorities to undertake urgent action and speed up the de-institutionalization reform, including through adequate budgetary allocations ensuring quality of services at all levels and support to families and children with disabilities. Current financial difficulties in the country should not be a reason for delay of planned reforms.

In connection with the same report, the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family announced that a commission was created to assess the situation at the residential institution in Orhei. The institution’s director was suspended from post for the period of the inquiry.

Through joint collaborative efforts, the Government of Moldova and UNICEF have ensured a three-fold decrease in the number of children in residential institutions (from more than 12,000 in 2005 to less than 4,000 in 2013) and a reduction by half in the number of children attending separate schools for children with disabilities (from more than 3,000 in 2010 to about 1,500 in 2015). However, more efforts are needed as many children who are still in residential care have disabilities.