Students at the Alecu Russo University in Balti learn about the national mechanisms for preventing violence against women
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Open Justice took part in a public lecture in Balti on November 24, 2017. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness among students and university professors about domestic violence and the laws for preventing violence against women. The students learned how to offer legal advice to victims of domestic and other violence and became better prepared to offer the right assistance and information to victims. On the day of the event, the Open Justice team emphasized the importance of eliminating violence against women and knowing where to seek assistance. The Open Justice team distributed a brochure with practical advice on what to do when a person is abused and the national protection mechanisms that are in place. The brochure also contains contact information for institutions that offer specialized assistance and counselling to abuse victims. By contributing to improving the knowledge of future lawyers and legal advisers on how to better assist vulnerable women, Open Justice demonstrated its commitment to ensuring access to justice for all Moldovan citizens.
On December 4–5, 2017, the United Nations organized a two-day conference dedicated to the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. The conference’s goal was to advocate for improved physical access to public institutions for people with special needs and to educate the public about the rights of people with disabilities. The conference served as an occasion to join the international community in supporting the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Open Justice collaborated with the Legal Assistance Center for Persons with Disabilities to produce a brochure to help people with special needs better understand their legal rights and obtain free legal aid. The brochure was distributed to over 90 participants at the conference. Open Justice team members also took part in a panel discussion on improving public understanding of disability issues. By participating in this activity, Open Justice contributed to increasing access to justice sector information for people with special needs.
Presenting the brochure “Access to justice and
the rights of people with special needs”
During the same week, on December 8, 2017, Open Justice and the Balti Legal Clinic conducted a public discussion on how to fight corruption. The event brought together 35 participants, including law and social science students, who split into two groups to share their views and concerns about corruption and its impact on human rights. Each group came up with highly thoughtful anti-corruption proposals, and all agreed that there is a need to foster a culture of law in Moldovan society. In this way, Open Justice contributed to educating the younger generation on how to spot and fight corruption and how to foster respect for human rights.
