Building bridges: Danish Institute for Human Rights welcomes Moldovan delegation in Copenhagen

In a step towards supporting a strong and well-functioning national human rights system in Moldova through dialogue and partnership, the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) from the 27th to the 30th of May 2024 hosted a Moldovan delegation composed of representatives from the People’s Advocate Office (Ombudsman), the Equality Council, and the Department of Human Rights and Civil Society Cooperation of the State Chancellery. The visit is part of a broader initiative from Danish Institute for Human Rights to support the promotion and protection of human rights in Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. 

 During the visit, the Moldovan delegation was introduced to how the Danish Institute for Human Rights works as a National Human Rights Institution in Denmark as well as abroad, using different tools, methods, approaches and partnerships. 

According to Ceslav Panico, People’s Advocate (Ombudsman) of Moldova, the country is currently navigating a complex political landscape, where human rights actors can benefit from partnerships with counterparts in EU. 

"Moldova faces challenges such as discrimination against vulnerable and minority groups, the impact of digitalization on human rights, corruption generally affecting human rights, and the need for robust business and human rights frameworks", Ceslav Panico explains. 

"Partnering with the Danish Institute for Human Rights will help us effectively address these issues and strengthen our approach to protecting human rights in Moldova".

Fostering collaboration and addressing challenges

The study visit comes at a time where European cooperation on promoting human rights is especially important, according to International Director at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, Mette Thygesen. Europe’s free democracy and fundamental values are under attack from authoritarian and anti-democratic forces. This affects EU countries like Denmark as well as EU's neighbouring countries like Moldova, where authoritarian forces attempt to create division and fuel the flames of extremism.

“Although there is also room for improvement at home, Denmark is widely recognised for our high human rights standards, and for successfully integrating human rights protection in the relevant policy areas, Mette Thygesen explains. 

“It is very encouraging to meet such deeply engaged human rights professionals from Moldova, seeking inspiration to ensure more effective protection of human rights, strengthen rule of law in line with the EU’s fundamental values - and create a more resilient and just society”.

Ian Feldman, President of the Equality Council in Moldova, also highlights that human rights institutions in different countries face similar challenges. As a reason of that there are several benefits from the study visit:

“Every topic we discuss will bring something new”, Ian Feldman explains.

“The three main ideas are to learn new things, to show our experiences and to build cooperation with interesting institutions and people in other countries, and I really think we are doing that.”

The road to EU

Moldova has EU candidate status, and in December EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations. In connection to this, the Moldovan government is in the process of reforming its legislative and policy framework. The EU accession process will commence with a screening of the legislation and policies within the areas of judiciary and fundamental rights and justice, freedom and security in Moldova to identify gaps and start the transposition of European acquis.

According to Head of Department for Human Rights and Civil Society Cooperation, Lilia Pascal, the Danish Institute for Human Rights has valuable knowledge and competencies that Moldova can benefit from in this process.

“The Danish Institute for Human Rights provides us with an important platform, to learn more about human rights from a European perspective, and also take into consideration all the standardizations that you have in human rights dimensions”, Lilia Pascal explains.  

The Department for Human Rights and Civil Society Cooperation has been given a significant number of extra responsibilities and tasks in connection with EU accession process and is therefore keen to receive inspiration from Denmark on how it can become more effective and improve the cooperation on a human rights-based approach at executive level.

Future partnerships

At the end of the study visit Ceslav Panico, People’s Advocate (Ombudsman) of Moldova, and Mette Thygesen, International Director at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a strategic partnership of mutual benefit to both institutions in their efforts to promote and protect human rights within their respective operating contexts.