Today, 8 May 2024, we mark a significant moment in the promotion and protection of human rights in the Republic of Moldova with the official launch of the Council of Europe Project “Support to the People’s Advocate Office in the protection of human rights in the Republic of Moldova- Phase I”.
This project stands for a firm commitment to improve human rights protection in our country and to strengthen the mechanisms for redress by increasing the capacity of the Ombudsman’s Office to intervene effectively in cases of human rights violations. It is remarkable that this is the first project exclusively dedicated to the Ombudsman’s Office for a period of two years and that its budget amounts to €800,000.
Through this initiative, we aim to develop more resilient tools and mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level, enhance collaboration with the European Court of Human Rights and explore the intersection between artificial intelligence and human rights.
In a context where accession to the European Union becomes a reality, the role of the Ombudsman’s Office in ensuring observance for human rights is growing in importance.
In his opening speech, People’s Advocate, Ceslav Panico highlighted that in a society where the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens are essential pillars of democracy, further strengthening the People’s Advocate Office as a key institution in the promotion and protection of human rights in the Republic of Moldova is crucial. The Ombudsman stated that through this partnership with the Council of Europe, it is firmly committed to strengthening and promoting the independence and effectiveness of the institution in order to become a model institution in society, noting that this moment is an important step in aligning with European human rights standards and consolidation of the rule of law.
The Head of the Council of Europe Office, Falk Lange, also added that the Ombudsman Institution has evolved to become an integral part of the modern model of good governance, serving as a guardian of human rights and providing people with a crucial avenue of remedy in cases of alleged human rights violations. Through its work, the Ombudsman institution plays a key role in upholding and promoting the principles of human rights and democracy.
The first phase of the project, carried out between 2024-2025, will focus on improving the management of the Ombudsman’s Office, digitizing services and incorporating elements of artificial intelligence into the People’s Advocate Office system for data collection and analysis and interaction with citizens through alternative-digital mechanisms. At the same time, the relationship with the European Court of Human Rights and the promotion of human rights throughout society will be further strengthened.
We are convinced that this project will bring significant benefits to the population of the Republic of Moldova and that we will continue to cooperate closely with our partners from the Council of Europe in order to achieve the established objectives.
