Soroptimist International
Union of Norway
Ministry of Education
Child Rights Information
Center Moldova
International Organization
for Migration
Project
Hopes and dreams for Everyone
January 2006 – June 2011
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL, Union of Norway
Forum for Women and Development / FOKUS
Ministry of Education of Republic of Moldova
International Organization for Migration / IOM
Child Rights Information Centre Moldova (CRIC Moldova)
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General Information about Republic of Moldova,
the central part of Europe
in the northeastern Balkans
• Population on 1 January 2011 (without Transnistria) –
3,560,430*
• Children under 18 year-old – 745,606 (20.9% of the total
population)*
• Considering different estimates it is up to 600,000 Moldovans
reside outside the countries under different reasons
• 135,000 children had one or two parents abroad in 2009 (1st
of September)
• 8,800 children live and study at 63 residential institutions,
8.7% orphans
• 10 % of overall repatriated victims are from residential
institutions
*according to the National Bureau of Statistics http://www.statistica.md/
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Trafficking in Moldova: figures and
trends
Total beneficiaries of the countertrafficking programme IOM Moldova
assisted
in 2000-2010
Total: 7110
-Victims of trafficking (VoTs): 2741
-Children of VoTs:1226
-Prevention cases: 2624
- Stranded migrants: 95
-Victims of domestic violence: 298
- Unaccompanied minors: 103
-Children left behind: 23
Main countries of destination
Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Balkan
countries, United Arab Emirates,
Cyprus, Moldova
(more than 40 destination countries)
Types of exploitation
Sexual, labor exploitation, begging,
combined, organ removal
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Trafficking in Moldova: figures and
trends
Area of residence
Rural areas – predominate
Urban areas – appr. 1/3
Capital – less than 1/10
The education of VoTs tends to be lower
that of general population. Most of
them have been educated up to
grade nine.
Appr. 10% have professional
education. The situation can be
explained by lack of attractive
employment opportunities,
unfavorable conditions for young
specialists/“beginners” and unfair
treatment on the part of employers.
Victim/recruiter relationship
1/3 are recruited by acquaintance
1/6 by a close friend
Recruiters are from every age group
and gender
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International Organization for Migration (IOM)
since 1951
IOM Mission to the Republic of Moldova since 2001
Motto: - Managing Migration for the Benefit of All
IOM - principal International Organization in the field of management of
migration:
– Assists in meeting the growing operational challenges in the field of
managing migration
– In-depth research and understanding of migration issues
– Harnessing the economic and social development potential of migration
– Upholding the dignity and well-being of the migrants
•
•
•
Membership increased from 67 States in 1998 to 132 States in 2011
Field locations increased from 119 in 1998 to more than 400 at present.
Active projects increased from 686 in 1998 to more than 2820 at present.
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The Child Rights Information Center (CRIC) is a nongovernmental, independent and non-political
organization, founded in 1998
Mission
CRIC's mission is to contribute to the implementation of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRIC) in the Republic of
Moldova by spreading the information and by supporting children's
participation initiatives.
CRIC's programs:
- Psycho-social integration of children from boarding schools
- Social integration of children left behind because of migration of their
parents
- Children's Participation
- Monitoring by children of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
www.childrights.md
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•
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Orphans / semi-orphans / social orphans
Profile
of institutionalized children
Aging from 3 to 20 year-old
•
Negative aspects in behavior that may be
characteristic for children due to their long-stay in
residential institutions:
– unstable behavior, tempted to manipulate
– use of vulgar language, verbal and physical
aggression
– tempted to run away and become beggars,
could start alcohol and drug consumption at
an early age, and be involved in various law
violations: robberies, stilling
– not enough developed life skills
– low self-esteem, disbelief in their own forces
and uncertainty in making a choice low
interest in education
– dependence on staff and protection system
– desolated and not sure about their nearest
future. They look with great uncertainty
towards finding a job or entering an
educational institution
They feel need in commitment and attention
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PROJECT GOAL
Preventing trafficking in human beings from Moldova
through developing sustainable living conditions for a
priority group of girls and boys living in boarding schools
and in this way creating an understanding of an
alternative to their going abroad in search of happiness.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
120 teenagers are trained annually in the field of Life
Skills Education and vocational orientation and
professional development;
30 graduates girls and boys received support and
assistance during continuing their professional studies
necessary for the integration in community
(since the project start in 2006, more than 90 young persons
received this long-term support, - as on average a beneficiary is
actively involved in for 2 years)
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PARTNERS
International
• Soroptimist International, Union of Norway
• FOKUS Norway
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• CARITAS Czech Republic
National
• Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova
• Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family
• National NGOs for children and youth
Regional
• District General Departments for Education, Youth and Sport
• Regional Departments for social protection
• Regional NGOs for children and youth
Local
• Local Public Administration
• Residential and community educational institutions
• Local NGOs for children and youth
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ACTIVITIES
I. Annual life skills development
workshop for young people (13-16
years) from 4 boarding schools
Contents:
• Self-esteem
• Assertive communication and constructive
conflict resolution
• Teamwork and relations with peers and
adults
• Participation and making informed
decisions
• Healthy life style and HIV/AIDS and other
STD prevention
• Working legally and illegally in the country
and abroad
• Choosing a profession and the educational
institutions
• Finding and keeping a job
• Preventing trafficking in human beings and
other types of abuse
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II.
Ongoing training for the team of social
assistants employed to provide support to
the graduates of boarding schools
•
The social assistants acquired various methods and
techniques of evaluating children at risk
•
They exercised behaviors and abilities that would
help holding counseling meetings, motivational
discussions with the beneficiaries and parents or
tutors.
•
The social assistants received training on other
topics: health education, post-institutionalized
children and young people participation in the
process of their integration into community
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III. Assisting boarding school graduates in continuing high
school/professional education
• Support during admissions to high schools or vocational
institutions: preparing a set of documents to enter the
educational institution, admissions contest
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Beneficiaries' accommodation: identifying space for
living, furnishing the living space
At the beginning I was very sad because I had problems with my family and
had no help. Then, appeared help for the girls from the boarding schools, I
found out that this help is for us and I got more concerned, I was scared of
entering this project. Then I joined the project to see what they can help me
with, and now I feel like an angel.
Liudmila, Falesti
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Allowance, materials and equipment required for
studying, materials and equipment required for daily
life
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Profound information and life skills development
program:
hygiene, food, healthy life style, house holding, self-respect, communications and
relations with peers and adults, orientation and communication, preventing social risks
(abuse, delinquency, trafficking in human beings, irregular migration) and health risks
(smoking, drugs, unprotected sex, undesired pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other STDs),
searching for a job, employment and keeping the job.
I became more confident and sure of the profession I have chosen. I have no doubts
about submitting my papers to enter the educational institution and I think that in life in
order to achieve something you need to have a goal and to put effort into achieving it;
Elena (Vascauti)
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Network of community actors
(governmental institutions, NGOs,
community/local institutions)
involved into
integration/reintegration of post
institutionalized children.
I understood that there were many
organizations that were ready to help a
child, but we should be active, to be
able to establish a link with these
organizations and to be able to ask for
help,
Rodica (Cazanesti)
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IV. Evaluation and continuous monitoring
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How the beneficiaries change due to their
involvement into the project
•
Got acquainted with the surrounding world by themselves but under the
supervision of trained persons
•
Started developing their life skills independently
•
Make informed decisions for their education, the work they will be doing or
getting in touch with their biological or extended family
•
Became “resource persons” for other peers, adults from the environment
where they live, study, work
•
Able to set short and long term goals and develop steps towards achieving
them
•
Gained positive thinking
•
Have courage to speak up, have increased acquaintances with peers and
adults
•
Became socially active, involved in various extra-curricular activities
•
Have increased self confident and trust in those who are around
•
Volunteer in various social, medical projects, etc.
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Risks / problems
•
Closed-type residential institutions
•
Staff flow within authority institutions (Ministry of Education, Regional
departments for Education)
•
Minimal quality standards for social services are only developing in Moldova
•
The national network of social assistants recently started its activity
•
Prevention of trafficking in human beings and other social and risks for the
health in many cases remains with NGOs and international organizations
•
Educational system is very theoretic, the educational component is left in
the shadow (especially, Life Skills Education)
•
Local/regional level does not have enough high quality and sustainable child
friendly social services; The state does not have enough specialists
prepared to provide high quality child/youth friendly services
•
The gain experience may not be overtaken and developed further
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Proposals/suggestions
• Multiplying project’s experience to
vocational institutions and higher
education institutions
• Training all community actors for
integrating /reintegrating
institutionalized/post institutionalized
children
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Now I look at life as a winner. I am
proud that I am part of this project
and along the way I will see all the
“crops and fruit”..., and I hope that the
fruits will be sweet,
Viorica (Napadova)
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