International Conference "Protecting the Human Rights of Displaced Persons: Current Challenges and Next Steps"

In Chisinau, between November 5-6, 2024, the international conference "Protecting the human rights of displaced persons: Current challenges and next steps" was held. The event, organized under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, brought together representatives of the authorities from the Republic of Moldova and other member states of the Council of Europe, diplomatic missions and international organizations, civil society activists and professionals in the field, as well as CoE experts.

In panel I: "The CoE project on "Consolidating the protection of the human rights of refugees and migrants from the Republic of Moldova": achievements, lessons learned and next steps", the head of the Training and Research Directorate of the National Institute of Justice, Ecaterina Popa, pointed out the joint actions. Thus, it was adapted to the internal legal order and the HELP course "Asylum and human rights" was launched, two graphic videos were created animated, as didactic tools for training sessions intended for INJ beneficiaries. At the same time, you appreciated the opportunity offered to the INJ delegation to carry out a study visit to the judicial and European institutions of reference in Malta, including the Judicial Studies Committee and the European Union Agency for Asylum. This experience facilitated the observation and assimilation of good international practices in the field of judicial training. His presentation also included the awareness component of the actions carried out, especially for the young generation. With the support of the project, several activities were organized, including the republican art competition "My house is also your house: safe together", information lessons, exhibitions, an art workshop on the occasion of World Refugee Day. Also, in the context of the worldwide campaign to promote the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, postage stamps whose prototypes were children's drawings were issued.

The conference agenda included discussion sessions on temporary protection for refugees, the importance of psychological help in the context of displacement, as well as combating misinformation on migration in the context of the refugee crisis.

On the sidelines of the event, the works of the participants in the republican plastic arts competition for children "My house is also your house: safe together" were exhibited.

The project "Strengthening the protection of the human rights of refugees and migrants from the Republic of Moldova" is carried out within the Action Plan of the Council of Europe for the Republic of Moldova for the period 2021-2024 and is carried out between October 2022 and December 2024. The Council of Europe will implement the second phase of the Project, 2025-2028, which will focus on increasing the protection of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants from the Republic of Moldova through strengthening the capacities of the state authorities.