1. 1 …. Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child Republic of Moldova European High Level Conference of the Council of Europe "Protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe: towards full participation, inclusion and empowerment “ (Strasbourg, 29-30 October 2008)

2. 2 Starting point  Changing the concept and the approach towards disability in the country, by replacing the traditional medical model with a social model focused on inclusion and participation;  Implementation of the international commitments in the field;  Preparation for the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

3. 3 Content of the presentation  Current legal and institutional framework  Preliminary strategic achievements of the Republic of Moldova in the context of the CoE Disability Action Plan and UNCRPWDs  Further challenges in bringing to practice the CoE Disability Action Plan and UNCRPWDs  Conclusions

4. 4 Legal framework  The Legal framework for people with disabilities: Constitution of Moldova Republic, art. 47; Law on Social Assistance; Law „On Social Protection of persons with disabilities”; Law on Social Canteens”, Regulations on Social Canteens; A number of regulations on the functioning of the elderly asylums, functioning of the social institutions, regulations on the Asylums for the Elderly and Disabled People, functioning of the various services.

5. 5 Strategic achievements  The main policy making institution- the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child has been completed with a special division responsible for Disability Policy  The disability reforms - a major priority of the National Development Strategy

6. 6 Strategic achievement  The elaboration of the Strategy and the Action Plan for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities 2009 -2013

7. 7 The Strategy objectives  To develop and promote a human rights and social inclusion based approach to replace the “traditional” medical one;  To improve the management system of social protection of persons with disabilities;  To develop the regulatory framework for services and benefits that will promote the rights of people with disabilities;

8. The Strategy:  Includes measures to meet fully the action lines of the CoE Disability Plan  Largely corresponds to the content of the binding articles from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 8

9. The strategy:  unifies the efforts of all national actors in the field of disability  is a model for achieving both: the CoE Action Plan as well as the UN Convention 9

10. 10 From policy to practice: The "Community for All: Moldova“ project  The development of model of community based alternatives from large residential institutions, through the relocation of over 320 persons with mental disabilities from a residential institution into community based settings ranging from family reintegration to family-size group homes.  The development of the necessary community- based support and specialized services;  Within two years the service will be adopted by the state (financially and methodologically)!

11. 11 How to implement the UNCRPWDs?  The feasibility study on the preparedness of Moldova for ratification of the UNCRPWDs

12. 12 The study: objectives and outputs  The analysis of the long-term benefits and initial costs;  Estimation of the reintegration costs;  Background for the facilitation, advocacy and decision-making process under the Convention procedures  The ground for future implementation of the Convention

13. 13 Challenges the inclusion of PWDs is costly during the transition from compensatory policies to inclusion one’s the ratification of the Convention represents a starting point of total revision of the existing policies the need for an extensive technical support from countries with experience in managing social reforms for social inclusion of persons with disabilities

14. 14 Challenges 2  The high investment costs for the creation of a new nationally wide support and specialized services  The existing risk of the differences between reforms at the national level and the direct impact at micro – level.  The lack of strong monitoring mechanisms for the micro-level implementation of the disability policies

15. 15 Conclusion  The limited resources are not an excuse to delay the implementation of the Convention and the CoE Action Plan and must also not be used to justify limiting the scope of the provisions of these documents on the beneficiary  International cooperation is crucial

17. 17 Thank you, Lucia Gavrilita Deputy Minister, Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child Republic of Moldova www.mpsfc.gov.md E-mail contact: lucia.gavrilita@mpsfc.gov.md