As a part of series activities marking the 28th anniversary of the country's accession to the Council of Europe and cooperation in the field of democracy, human rights and rule of law, the joint European Union and Council of Europe project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova” has organised, jointly with the General Police Inspectorate, a flash-mob aimed at raising awareness on fundamental rights and freedoms on 14 July 2023 in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova).
The cavalry squad of the National Inspectorate for Public Security participated in this activity, raising awareness about the need for equality and the importance of countering hatred, and promoting the message “Block the hatred. Share the love” among the general public.
The main aim of the project is to contribute to better protection of rights of vulnerable groups and minorities, as well as to build the capacity of state authorities, legal and law enforcement professionals, civil society, etc., to adapt domestic frameworks in line with European and international standards, and to apply those standards to combat discrimination, hate speech and hate crime in the Republic of Moldova.
Cooperation with the General Police Inspectorate has a positive impact on the daily work of police officers but also on society as a whole. Capacity building activities and training for police officers contribute to reinforcing their skills in communicating with and guiding citizens when seeking remedies against discrimination, as well as in cases involving vulnerable groups that require handling tensions or violence.
Improvements in the field of promoting equality and non-discrimination require awareness raising and cooperation of all relevant actors, from state authorities and institutions, law enforcement to civil society organisations and all citizens – this event, together with other activities organised within Council of Europe week, made one additional step forward in that direction.
This action was organised in the framework of the project that is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Partnership for Good Governance”(PGG), an initiative for strengthening good governance in the Eastern Partnership region. The programme provides a tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. It supports, in particular, Eastern Partnership countries’ domestic reforms to strengthen justice, counter economic crime, promote equality and non-discrimination, advance women’s access to justice and combat violence against women.
