Public Perception of Rights Improves in Moldova
The Moldovan Ombudsman's Office registered 1,043 complaints concerning violations of human rights and freedoms last year.
When it comes to children's rights, poverty and the lack of available support services for struggling children were identified as the most concerning issues in 2023. The data is included in the Ombudsman's Activity Report for 2023, which was presented in Parliament.
According to statistical data, the Ombudsman's Office logged 1,043 complaints related to human rights violations over the past year. The majority, 804, were filed with the Ombudsman, while the remainder went to the Ombudsman for Children's Rights. Of these complaints, 34% were accepted, concerning the right to a fair trial, health protection, work and labour protection, as well as social assistance and protection. It is worth noting that violations of human rights and freedoms were found in 61 cases.
The report also includes data from the Study on Perceptions of Respect for Human Rights in Moldova, which provides insights into the situation across various areas. The data shows that public perception of the right to the highest standard of health has significantly improved, exceeding 52% compared to just 20.9% in 2016. There has also been a positive shift in the perception of respect for the right to a fair trial, increasing from 13% to 38%. Progress has been made in respecting the right to social assistance and protection, reaching almost 45%. Additionally, compared to 2016, public perception of the right to work and labour protection has tripled and now exceeds 60%. The report further contains data on human rights observance in the breakaway region of Transnistria, the general situation regarding torture prevention, and the conditions of those detained in penitentiary institutions or police custody.
During today's plenary session, the situation regarding children's rights was also addressed. The Ombudsman for Children's Rights, Vasile Coroi, highlighted poverty, the lack of available support services for children in difficulty, the provision of services for children with deviant behaviour, and the protection of minors from all forms of violence as the most pressing issues identified in 2023.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
