United Nations (UN) in the Republic of Moldova is launching the 18th edition of the competition for the UN Human Rights Awards 2024 with the aim of marking the most valuable actions to promote and protect human rights in the Republic of Moldova.The competition aims to highlight and reward the most creative, innovative, effective, timely and participatory initiatives and actions for the protection and promotion of human rights in the Republic of Moldova on both banks of Nistru River. The 2024 competition includes three awards as it follows:General award for an outstanding human rights achievement at national and/or local level with direct and sustainable impact on rights holders;Special award for outstanding human rights achievement in protection and promotion of the rights of children, especially children belonging to marginalized groups, in the context of 35th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;Special award for remarkable achievement in promoting gender equality and women empowerment, in the context of 30th anniversary of the ratification by Moldova of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against.The nominations for any of the above-mentioned awards can be submitted online by filling in the Nomination Form available in Romanian, Russian, English or in another minority languages spread in the Republic of Moldova (in this case, Romanian or Russian will be selected as appropriate, and answers will be given in the minority language).The nomination should cover nominee’s/self-nominee’s human rights work during the period 1 November 2023 and 31 October 2024.Both third-party and self-nominations are accepted.All submitted nominations should include the following information:The name of the nominated person or entity, including contact information;Details as to the relationship between the nominating person or entity, and the nominated person or entity;Detailed reasoning as to why the person, organisation or entity should be provided with an award. An indicative length for the detailed reasoning is 750-2000 words. In providing the detailed reasoning, due regard should be given to:Explaining, in clear, factual language, why the nominee should receive a human rights award (providing relevant factual description of the acts undertaken by the nominee which merit award); Reflecting on the nominee’s human rights work considering the selection criteria (human rights impact, innovation and creativity, dedication and commitment, bravery in addressing difficult themes or issues, outreach and visibility, professionalism and highest standards of ethics).Mention of the category under which the nomination should be considered.Please note: The nomination category can be changed by the Independent Awards Board, if considered necessary.The nominated candidates should not have received UN Moldova Human Rights Awards in the last 4 years. Also, the actions that form the object of award should not have been implemented by means of UN funding and/or with UN entities’ support.   For more details on the nomination process, please consult the Regulation on the organization and conduct of the competition for best actions to promote and protect human rights for UN Human Rights Awards 2024.The completed Nomination forms can be submitted online with confirmation of nomination submission to the email address rco.moldova@un.org . The deadline for the registration of candidates is 3 November 2024, 18:00 o’clock.Attention! The deadline for candidates' registration was extended to 10 November 2024. All the materials of nominated persons or entities, received within the public call, as well as, during the analysis of other available materials, will be judged by a team of experts and an independent Board, made up of representatives of international organizations and missions and independent experts.The Nominations/self-nominations will be assessed according to criteria including the following:Human rights impact;Innovation and creativity;Dedication and commitment;Bravery in addressing difficult themes or issues;Outreach and visibility;Professionalism and compliance with the highest standards of ethics.Award winners do not have to necessarily fulfil all the above criteria.The winners of the competition will be announced and awarded during an event organized on the occasion of the anniversary of International Human Rights Day. 

She has been managing a translation company in Chisinau for 21 years.  She is an empathetic person with a lot of tact in relations with people, while the team she coordinates is a beautiful example of social inclusion.She studied international economic relations, being passionate about mathematics and foreign languages.  After graduating from the university she opened a translation company together with her husband.“The company is our third child (she smiles).  It is 21 years old.  At first, we only provided written translation services, then we also started covering event interpretation.  We translate into and from Romanian, Russian, English, and lately Ukrainian, because there is demand.”Today, the company staff is represented by 33 employees, among which two persons with disabilities, thus being an admirable model of an inclusive team. “My civic stance, but also from an employer's perspective, is that each one of may succeed in his/her work as it may very well fail with it. For example, if I cannot translate into Russian, it is a challenge in my field of work.  Having this conviction, I have looked for professionals in the first place for my team and I do not consider that these two colleagues are “special” or any different from the others in the company.  There was no need to adapt any of our internal processes just because they joined.  They are passionate about what they do, responsible, very communicative, and professional in relations with clients.  This was my focus of interest in the job interviews and I am glad that Andrei and Vladislav are part of the team”, states Natalia. Vladislav is a translator.  He graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages with the specialization “Foreign Languages for Diplomatic Corps”.  He has been working in Natalia's company since 2019.  “I remember that five years ago, when I hired Vladislav, it was from his papers that I realized he would have a disability.  He sent his CV, came for the interview, and passed a regular recruitment process.  He did not ask for any facilities and demonstrated the knowledge and skills he had at that time”, mentions Natalia.Andrei, another office employee, has a physical disability.  Like Vladislav, he joined the team five years ago.  His studies are in other fields than translation, but he is convinced now that this job best suits his passion and abilities.“I graduated from the College of Viticulture and Winemaking, and later the Faculty of Law.  That was what my parents wanted, although I always liked computer science and everything related to new technologies”, recounts Andrei smiling.  “I did not get here by recommendation.  The company was looking for staff and Mrs. Conovca knew me from the Association of Professional Translators, I came for the interview and stayed”, he continues enthusiastically.If initially Andrei was more involved in client relations, later he became a translation technician.  “I know for sure that he is one of the most sought-after professionals in his field”, states Natalia proudly.“When I was a student, it used to be much more complicated than now in employment”, tells Andrei with emotion.  “They would humiliate me, I had the impression that people in the street were staring at me, they seemed to be scared away.”Andrei encourages people with disabilities to bring out what they are best at when talking to an employer: “And for employers, as well as for people who are looking for a job, I have the same advice: do not focus on disability, emphasize abilities first!”To the question “Is our society inclusive?”, both Natalia and Andrei believe there is room for improvement.  If things have changed significantly at the attitude level, great efforts are still required in terms of infrastructure.According to the labor force survey data, the participation rate of persons with disabilities in the labor force in 2023 was 17%, which is three times lower than that of persons without disabilities. ***  This story is part of the UN Moldova awareness raising campaign ”Stand for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities – No One Must Be Left Behind." An initiative that is part of the UN ongoing efforts to promote the inclusive and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all their diversity in decision-making processes at all levels. The story was developed with the financial support of the UN Human Rights Moldova within the project "Paradigm Shift to Disability Inclusive Services, Accountability and Governance in Moldova", implemented by UN Human Rights Moldova, UNDP Moldova, and UNICEF Moldova funded by to the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). The views expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the UN Human Rights or the UNPRPD.

He is convinced that if he is the last person to remain in the village "to turn off the lights", he would still be found there. Carnateni village is about 80 km away from the capital and about 10 km from the district center.Ten years ago, after a work accident, Vasile ended up being a user of a wheelchair.  Although his life has changed significantly since that moment, now he is a man who exudes enthusiasm and good mood, is an extremely involved civic activist, and has a great dream: that all public institutions in Moldova become accessible for persons with disabilities.  Since 2021 Vasile has been the deputy chairman of the Causeni District Participation Council.  He wants his life story and the situation he has found himself in to inspire and exemplify that “it can be different", while his successes are a living proof of that.Life before the accidentAfter about seven years of working abroad, Vasile returned to his village with the intention to open a small business.  He bought two specialized trucks and transported different goods from Causeni to Chisinau.  In the summer of 2010, he was transporting straw bales for a mushroom growing company.  Due to negligence of an employee, two of the bales toppled over Vasile, leaving him immobilized.  “Fifteen minutes after the accident, I was already in the hospital, but the intervention was performed only seventy-two hours later, due to lack of money and other bureaucratic reasons.  Too much time had passed, and the spinal cord could no longer be restored”, confesses the protagonist with emotion.I think an inborn disability is otherwise lived, then the one that was acquired during the life.For a year after the accident Vasile stayed in a straight position only, bedridden.  Expensive treatment and trips to the hospitals followed, but unfortunately the situation did not change. The reality had to be accepted, and he needed strength to start all over again. “You know, I think an inborn disability is otherwise lived, then the one that was acquired during the life.” Vasile shares.  “I was ashamed, for example, to go to the doctors. I would wait for all patients to come out, and then go in, even if I had an emergency.” Until then, Vasile confesses, he had known nothing about the situation of person with disabilities and thought of social projects, as well as NGOs, as “humanitarian aid”.  He remembers that when he arrived at the first training organized by the “Motivation” Association in 2014, he said to himself: “I go to the workshop because they have invited me, and after that I will mind my own business, there is nothing I can do anyway”.  But it was not so. Thanks to mentors and training, Vasile's attitude changed significantly, and because he also had a car adapted to his needs, opportunities for civic engagement emerged.  In 2016 he got involved in the first project: he monitored accessibility of polling stations.  Now civic activism has become his motivation, while engaging in projects provides him a source of income.He also participated as a councilor on the Carnateni local council list, but chose to change things at the district level, not just in his community.  Since 2021, he has been the deputy chairman of the District Participation Council.  In the 2018 elections, for example, he monitored accessibility of all polling stations in the district, and now he can be proud that dozens of institutions have become accessible thanks to the projects he has brought for his district.“Now the building of the district council is also in the process of renovation, it will have an adapted elevator and a ramp.  It is a great success and an example for the whole country”, says Vasile enthusiastically.At home, Vasile does everything. Together with his parents, he has four hectares of land, vineyard, birds and animals.  Most of all he likes working in the vineyard.  Regarding the reasons why persons with disabilities are less involved in the decision-making process, Vasile considers that, on the one hand, they face physical barriers when moving around, thus they are always put in the situation to “disturb” someone, and, on the other hand, they do not show interest, expect financial compensation, or remain indifferent. “I think I know everything about accessibility, and I would like other people in my situation to know at least ten percent of that.  It would be a big achievement.  I know it is hard to mobilize persons with disabilities, but if you make one step outside your courtyard, seek your rights, discover your passions, you can really achieve a lot, first of all for yourself, but also for other persons with disabilities. I have to confess, the main reason why I have decided to share my story is precisely this: to encourage involvement and reduce indifference”. states Vasile.***This story is part of the UN Moldova awareness raising campaign ”Stand for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities – No One Must Be Left Behind." An initiative that is part of the UN ongoing efforts to promote the inclusive and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all their diversity in decision-making processes at all levels. The story was developed with the financial support of the UN Human Rights Moldova within the project "Paradigm Shift to Disability Inclusive Services, Accountability and Governance in Moldova", implemented by UN Human Rights Moldova, UNDP Moldova, and UNICEF Moldova funded by to the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). The views expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the UN Human Rights or the UNPRPD.

Every day, Aliona and Ștefănel wake up at 7:00 to make it to class by 8:30. The walk to school takes just a few minutes. Ștefănel rides his electric "motorbike”, as he likes to call it, while Aliona hurries to catch up. The boy wishes she would ride with him, so that she can also feel the cool September air in her hair. “I don't fit. I’m fine walking," she reassures him. A field of tiny freckles spreads across her face, the same freckles that Ștefănel inherited from her. The fragile childAfter moving into his wheelchair, which he steers easily, Ștefănel enters the classroom while Aliona stays in the hallway. She clutches a bag of diapers and wet wipes to her chest and sits down on a worn leather bench. That's where she'll be waiting for Ștefănel at every break.Aliona Russu is from Soroca. For the past three years, she has been the personal assistant to her son, Ștefănel. "I was his mom until he turned seven. I looked after him 24/7. Since he started school, my job has a new name—personal assistant”, she says with a smile. She looks like a wrestler dressed in mom clothes. She never gave up on her baby, who, from his first hours of life, was deemed "far too fragile" and given little chance of survival. 14 Surgeries in 10 YearsȘtefănel was born with severe health problems. That was also when the fight for his life began, turning the hospital into "home." One month and three weeks after his birth, he had his first surgery. Then 13 others followed. "By the time he was five, he had already undergone ten surgeries”, his mother explains.Hydrocephalus, spina bifida, hip dysplasia—these are just a few of the conditions Aliona Russu lists. These conditions prevent him from walking on his own, from knowing when he needs to use the toilet, and from experiencing intense emotions—whether too happy or too sad—since they could trigger an epileptic seizure. That's why the child always needs his mother by his side.His "motorbike," an electric wheelchair bought with money raised by parents, students, and teachers at a charity fair where students sold their toys, makes it easier for him to get to school. It is parked under the stairs. Wheelchair at the Back of the ClassroomȘtefănel is in the fourth grade but follows a second-grade curriculum. Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to keep up with his peers. The left-hand side of the board displays equations for Ștefănel to solve, while the right-hand side shows equations for the others. With his wheelchair parked at the back of the classroom, it's hard to tell which student has special needs.The teacher calls him to the blackboard, and a classmate helps bring his wheelchair closer. With one swift move, Ștefănel gets into it. He maneuvers between the tables and heads towards the blackboard. His face lighting up as he gives the correct answer without needing help from his classmates, who are always ready to whisper it to him. "At the beginning, it wasn’t like this... We worked hard for these results”, explains Cristina Nitrean, a primary school teacher at Petru Rareș High School in Soroca. According to data from the Republican Centre for Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance, in 2022, out of the 460,835 children enrolled in kindergartens and schools in the Republic of Moldova, 11,766 were children with special educational needs. However, out of the 10,628 children with disabilities, only 5,753 were included in pre-school and school institutions.The Government aims for children with disabilities to make up 5% of the total number in pre-school education, 3% in technical vocational education, and 2% in higher education by 2027.
Three years ago, Cristina was informed by the school administration that she would have a child with special needs in her class. "I started crying. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to cope. How could I give him the attention he needed when I had 24 other students?" she wondered. “He needed to be integrated into society”At the first parent-teacher meeting, Aliona brought Ștefănel with her. "He seemed so small and gentle. I suddenly fell in love with him," admits the teacher. Ștefănel was a shy child, exhausted from his treatments and long hospital stays. The only people he tried to talk to in structured sentences were the nurses. "You could tell he needed to be integrated into society," says Cristina Nitrean.She discussed the situation with the parents of the other students so they could talk to their children. "And that’s how it all started. The children accepted him easily. There were less pleasant moments, like when they laughed because he had to wear diapers. But with patience and explanations, we got through it. I told them: everyone has their own needs. Some can’t do without sweets, others are very attached to their parents. Ștefănel needs to wear diapers so he can live and participate in society, and we need to accept and support him”, recalls the teacher. Since then, the children have tried to help their classmate whenever they see he’s struggling with an obstacle or problem. To make things easier for Ștefănel’s mother, the class moved from the second floor to the first. "We liked it better on the second floor, but the parents explained that Ștefănel’s mother couldn’t carry him up all those stairs, so we accepted," the students explain, talking over each other, their voices echoing through the school hallway. When heroes feel they can no longer go on...When Ștefănel misses school, his classmates and teacher call him on Viber during breaks. "It’s as if Ștefănel is abroad... beyond the borders of Soroca (she laughs). I love that we do this because I’m sure it benefits the whole class. These children will grow up to be people who accept others in need of help”, emphasizes Cristina Nitrean. After a short pause, the teacher starts laughing. "We also call him His Highness Stephen the Great. He’s a hero to the whole class," she says.But even heroes sometimes feel like they can no longer go on. It’s becoming harder for Ștefănel to spend hours at his desk. His back throbs with a pain that rings in his ears. Doctors have advised his parents to stop sending him to school. "It’s too much for him!". But the boy wants to go to school. "I feel good here. I feel happy here. These are my friends, and I like learning with them”, he admits, laughing loudly as his friends gather around to lift his wheelchair, carrying him the ten steps to the cafeteria and then to the gym. “The School Helps Him Spread His Wings"“Besides coping with pain, he is a realistic child. He knows that after this year, his school schedule will change. He’ll only attend a few days a week, and the rest of the time, he’ll study at home," says his mother.While Ștefănel’s classmates attend their English lesson, he works with his support teacher, Maia Jardan. The specialist has been working with children with special needs at the high school since 2015. Currently, there are 32 such students at the school. "We focus on exercises that are more challenging for them, according to the teachers’ observations," explains Maia. On the table, she has prepared several sheets with texts for Ștefănel to read. He likes Romanian lessons less. His letters are grouped into syllables, and he tries not to lose them before forming a word. His teacher, glasses perched on the tip of her nose and hair slightly disheveled, smiles and promises him a reward at the end of the lesson. "We just have to try. Come on, you can do it!" she encourages him. The boy straightens his back and focuses intently on the sentences.Aliona Russu continues to wait for him on the same bench in the school hallway. It gives him the independence he can manage. "I want him to learn to cope and become a strong person," she says. When he feels discouraged, thinking his illnesses will prevent him from being like other children, his mom shows him videos of adults in wheelchairs playing soccer, breakdancing, and proving that "it can be done!"."School is where he spreads his wings and dares to dream. That’s why I want him to come as often as possible," admits Ștefănel’s mother. The bell rings, signaling the start of another lesson.UNICEF, together with the Ministry of Education and Research and the Republican Centre for Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance, has launched a national campaign to change society’s attitude towards children with disabilities and special educational needs. The campaign promotes inclusive education under the slogan "Learning Together."