The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the mechanisms for fighting discrimination in Moldova through civil society engagement.

The project seeks to strengthen the anti-discrimination mechanisms in Moldova through civil society mobilisation. The project will enable civil society actors to (i) coalesce and advocate jointly for strengthening the domestic anti-discrimination framework; (ii) empower most vulnerable and marginalised groups to claim their rights; (iii) strengthen the capacity of the Moldovan Equality Council to share their expertise and case-law with domestic courts; (iv) increase capacity of five selected universities to prevent and curb sexual harassment.

The project activities fall into the following clusters: (i) research and analysis; (ii) mobilisation of civil society and other like-minded actors to establish a broad, strategic advocacy platform, permanent coordination and joint agenda setting; (iii) advocacy and awareness; (iv) capacity strengthening (training and coaching, sub-grants for grass roots CSO representing vulnerable groups to empower constituents); (v) expertise and assistance to the Equality Council in view of developing and applying methodology for monitoring court proceeding, identifying relevant cases, developing and submitting amicus curiae briefs; (vi) collection of baseline data in five targeted universities, training for staff and students (peer-educators) from five targeted universities, assistance in designing internal procedures for fighting sexual harassment, information and women empowerment campaign in targeted institutions.

Specific Objectives:

Advocate the necessity to amend the domestic legal framework in compliance with the international and regional human rights standards;

Empower CSOs representing vulnerable groups and their constituents (potential victims) to claim their right to non-discrimination;

Strengthen the capacity of the Moldovan Equality Council to monitor court trials, identify relevant cases and submit amicus curiae briefs;

Increase capacity of selected higher education institutions to prevent and combat sexual harassment. 

The project will achieve the following outputs: (1.1) Over 50 CSOs and individual opinion-makers jointly advocate by the Parliament and Government for improving protection against discrimination; (1.2) Strengthened civil society policy dialogue regarding non-discrimination with relevant Parliamentary Committees and Ministry of Justice; (1.3) At least 10 public actions conducted and over 12 joint position papers submitted to decision-makers for strengthening anti-discrimination legislation; (1.4) Increased public awareness on the added value  of diversity, social inclusion and non-discrimination for social cohesion and sustainable development; (2.1) Increased capacity of 20 CSOs representing vulnerable groups to identify, document, report cases of discrimination; (2.2) At least 10 grass-roots CSOs representing vulnerable groups enabled to empower over 1000 constituents to claim their rights; (3.1) CSOs and Equality Council successfully develop and apply joint methodology for the monitoring of court proceedings and identification of cases requiring amicus curiae briefs; (3.2) At least 20 amicus curiae briefs submitted by the Equality Council to domestic courts; (4.1) Research on sexual harassment in higher education institutions conducted; (4.2) staff and peer-students (peer-educators) from 5 universities trained on sexual harassment;   (4.3) Internal regulations on preventing sexual harassment developed and adopted by 5 targeted educational institutions (universities and colleges); (4.4) Information campaigns against sexual harassment conducted in 5 higher education institutions, reaching out to over 1500 students.