Cahul district joins 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign

In order to increase local-level awareness about the fact that violence against women and girls is a crime and that each community has the responsibility to prevent and eliminate it, Cahul district hosted the event "UNITE for the elimination of violence against women and girls!" Organised within "EVA Project – Promoting gender equality in Cahul and Ungheni districts," the event brought together the district’s local authorities and marked the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, which is held annually between 25 November and 10 December.

In his greeting speech, Nicolae Dunas, President of Cahul district, said that the EVA Project, which the district authorities launched in collaboration with UN Women, offers a special opportunity for Moldovan society. Now having reached the country’s southern region, the project has enabled Cahul’s District Council to host activities that give women the opportunity to enjoy gender equality and speak about their goals and wishes. “The initiatives launched in Cahul district provide an opportunity for violence to be fully limited and exhausted so that we can enjoy a healthy society in the southern region of the country," he said.

Timur Cetin, Political Officer for the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, expressed his confidence in Moldova's European path and its commitments to eliminating violence. "At the European Council in June 2022, EU leaders granted EU candidate status to the Republic of Moldova,” he said, explaining that this status will provide more development opportunities for the country and require it to make progress towards eliminating violence against women. “The European Union supports survivors of violence and has allocated 5 million euros to combat this phenomenon in Cahul and Ungheni,” he said. “Twelve champion communities have adopted gender-sensitive budgets and are allocating at least 2 per cent of them to combatting violence against children and women. This will allow for the expansion of inclusive and sustainable response services that ensure all survivors access the services they need and that no one is left behind".

During the inauguration of the event, Svetlana Andrieș, Programme Specialist for UN Women Moldova, issued a call to action: "We aim to mobilise the international community, local and district public authorities, the General Police Inspectorate and our colleagues in the education system. I want to thank all the activists who are at the heart of the fight for gender equality, for promoting legislation to prevent and combat gender-based violence, and also those who made it possible to ratify the Istanbul Convention. Violence is painful and we need to combine our efforts. The ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign is not enough. We need to act 365 days, throughout the year!"

Ilija Talev, UNICEF Moldova’s Deputy Representative, discussed how the EVA Project fosters a clear and holistic approach to preventing violence in all aspects of a child's life. “Working with various programmes, we started to prevent violence at home, in schools, in society,” he said. “The huge effort and energy invested in preventing violence in the regions of Cahul and Ungheni motivate us to move forward".

Andrei Moldoveanu, Head of the Cahul Police Inspectorate’s Public Security Section, reiterated that violence is one of the most serious crimes and that representatives of the Cahul Police Inspectorate want to join this campaign and cooperate in the fight against this phenomenon, especially in Cahul. “We urge people to trust us,” he said. “We are here to help and support you. I urge everyone, but first of all, women and girls who are victims of domestic violence, to seek help and report cases of violence immediately. Call the unique emergency number 112, or the hotline for Women and Girls at 0 8008 8008".

Throughout the event, representatives of the Cahul Police Inspectorate distributed educational materials and informed citizens how to report incidents of violence.

The event also featured a series of activities, including the launch of a discussion platform entitled "Human Library," which was attended by representatives of local public authorities, international communities, opinion leaders, local residents and young people from Cahul municipality. A variety of topics were addressed, including the role of religion, media institutions, art and young activists in preventing violence against women, as well as how men can get involved in educating children to cultivate positive values and zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

The event culminated with a show of living statues meant to convey the emotional states of victims, along with a theatre performance titled "Love Does Not Hurt." The performance walked the audience through a shocking story that featured a positive ending, meant to show victims that they are not alone and can receive help.

These activities are part of the "EVA Project - Promoting gender equality in Cahul and Ungheni districts," which is funded by the European Union and implemented by UN Women Moldova in partnership with UNICEF Moldova.