Government Action on Disability Policy
A Global Survey
Part II - Government Replies as Country Profiles

Republic of Moldova

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Ministry of Social Affairs (19 march 1996)
General policy

The officially recognized disability policy in the Republic of Moldova is expressed in law. The emphasis - in descending scale - is on: prevention, rehabilitation, individual support, accessibility measures, anti-discrimination law.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation, by the Constitution, and by general legislation. Legal remedy through courts guarantees the protection of the rights of disabled people. Disabled persons have the priority rights and privileges in medical care, employment, education, duelling and have a number of discounts in public utilities payment and spare fiscal regime. No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Standard Rules.

Accessibility

The Law on Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities aims to securing accessibility of the build environment, also aiming at creating conditions of access for disabled persons to housing, building environments, public institutions, public transport facilities, telecommunication and information facilities etc., building, and reconstruction of housing. Installation of communications as well as designing and producing of transport arrangements should be carried out with the view of accessibility for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles are economic/budgetary factors.

Sign language is recognized as the official language of deaf people, is used as the first language in education of deaf people, and is recognized as the main means of communication between deaf people and others. Government measures to encourage media to make their information services available include TV providing information with the simultaneous interpretation into the sign language. The only service provided to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and other persons is literature in Braille/tape for the blind and visually impaired.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

In Moldova there are three organizations of disabled persons, the Association of Invalids, the Association of Blind Persons and the Association of Deaf Persons. The majority of persons with disabilities are members of these Associations. There are no laws and regulations mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with Governmental institutions. However, disabled persons have representatives both on the national and local level.

Co-ordination of work

The Interdepartmental Council for the Disabled, was recently established in the Republic of Moldova acting as the national co-ordinating committee. The Council includes representatives from Ministries, from NGOs and from organizations of persons with disabilities. It is too early to make any appreciation of the effects of the new council.

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