Develop inclusive social policies and legal framework

Develop inclusive social policies and legal framework

Keystone Moldova provides technical assistance to central and local public authorities in the development of policies, practices and legislation in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the Republic of Moldova has signed and ratified. To this end, Keystone Moldova explores information on good practices in social inclusion in developed countries and the Republic of Moldova and transposes them into a framework of social policies, legislation, standards and structures that ensure the sustainability of reforms in the field of de-institutionalization and social inclusion of people with disability.

At the same time, Keystone Moldova participates, together with other non-governmental organizations, in monitoring the implementation of inclusive social policies. Thus, for example, Keystone Moldova participated in the elaboration of country shadow reports on the implementation of both: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Keystone Moldova is a member of both: the Government Council on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Council of Experts on the Monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities acting at the Ombudsmen office.

The core activities of Keystone Moldova in this field are as follows:

  • Provision of technical assistance to central and local public authorities in the elaboration of strategies, programs, draft laws and normative acts related to social inclusion of people with disabilities. Keystone Moldova has the experience of working with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection (MHLSP) in the elaboration of the following policy documents: the Social Inclusion Strategy (2009-2013), the Social Inclusion Law (2012), the National Program on Social Inclusion of persons with disabilities (2017-2022), the National Program on deinstitutionalization (2018-2026). The Association supported the central government to develop quality standards and regulations for services piloted by local public authorities with Keystone Moldova support, such as Community Home, Supported Living, Shared Living, Foster Care, Mobile Teams, Respite Services, Personal Assistant and Day Care center for children in risk situation. Keystone Moldova also has collaborative experience with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research in developing and piloting methodologies for educational inclusion of children with special educational needs in schools and kindergartens. Our organization assisted the public authorities in four districts to develop strategies and action plans for the social inclusion of people with disabilities.
  • Developing and submitting recommendations to specific draft legislative and normative acts elaborated by different public authorities to ensure that the new disability provisions are in line with the requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
  • Conducting social studies on the quality of life of people with disabilities and developing practical recommendations and policy concepts for central and local public authorities.
  • Joint monitoring with other NGOs of the progress of the implementation of both: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.