7 of 10 citizen of the Republic of Moldova consider that their rights are systematically violated. This fact is found by the results of survey „Perceptions on human rights in the Republic of Moldova”, submitted on December 10, 2018, on the International Human Rights Day. The survey was conducted by iData company for People’s Advocate Office for observing the dynamics of perception on human rights observance in comparison with 2016 year when a similar survey was conducted.

The elaboration of survey was possible due to the support offered by UNDP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations Population Fund in the Republic of Moldova.

„The survey presented today reflects the thought of people about human rights observance in Moldova and offers a roadmap for promotion human rights in the country.  This is the second survey on perceptions on human rights elaborated with the support of UN, the first being realized in 2016 year. Data about the perceptions of people will be used for elaboration of policies, for a better canalization of UN interventions in the field of human rights in Moldova and evaluation of their impact on the development of the country and realization of Sustainable Development Goals”, mentioned Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova.

„Results of surveys in 2016 and 2018 helped us and will help to verify the degree of compliance of the Ombudsman Institution vision on the situation in the field of human rights and to focus our efforts in the necessary direction. We hope that the authorities will also perceive the things in the same manner and they will capitalize the information for re-evaluating some priorities of activity, identifying new possibilities, using new levers and mechanisms for changing the things for better”, stated People’s Advocate (Ombudsman), Mihail Cotorobai.

Through the most important findings of the survey are:

–          Situation on human rights didn’t changed, in opinion of 43,8 percent of respondents. In 2018 year several participants to survey informed that the situation of human rights rather improved (35,8%) than worsen (16,4%);

–          As in the survey of 2016, in the participants’ opinion, the main right which should be in the attention of society is the right to healthcare, but the share of respondents is bigger in 2018 –71,6% if compared to 61% in 2016. Right to education is the second in this list, in significant increase if compared to 2016 (31,5%) –43.5% of respondents placing it through the most sensitive three rights which deserve more attention.

–          On the third position in the top of the rights which need more attention, as in 2016 year is that of social protection, followed by the right to work and good working conditions, right to information, freedom of opinion and expression registers an increase of number of persons (of 7,9 to 14,5%) who place it in the category of those which need an increased attention.

–          In the survey of 2018 it is attested a better perception of population on the right to social protection and a slight improvement of situation on protection of rights of socially vulnerable persons. However, the most of respondents (43,7%) continue considering that the rights of this category of persons are not protected at all by the state.

–          The least respected right in the Republic of Moldova is the right to a fair trial, only 21,8% of respondents consider that it is respected.

–          The most respected rights in the Republic of Moldova are: right to culture, cultural identity, free movement, to property, personal freedom and private life. As in 2016, according to the perception of respondents, 57,7% considers that the rights of children are through the most respected rights, to a large extent or a very large extent.

–          From the total number of respondents, approximately half of them declared that at least one of their rights was violated in the last two years. The most frequently, as in 2016, the right to healthcare was violated, right mentioned by 22,6% of respondents. In comparison with 2016 year, the share of those who consider that their right to vote and to be voted was violated (of 3,1% to 12,8%).

–          More than 80% of respondents consider that old persons, persons with disabilities, children, women and victims of violence in family need the most attention for being protected their rights.

–          In the opinion of two thirds of respondents as in 2016 year those who the most frequently violate human rights are the Parliament and the Government and more than 62% of respondents consider that other institutions which violate human rights are the Courts of law and Police.

–          In the last two years the perception of population on the manner in which the institutions ensure human rights observance has changed. Thus, mass-media remains on the first place as the institution which ensures human rights observance (41,9% if compared to 35,1%), role of NGO’s seems to be more significant now (36,5%, if compared to 19,7%). The President of the country is on the 3^rd place with 36%, compared to 5,6% in 2016. In this period the confidence of persons in People’s Advocate Office also increased of 20,7% to 35,1%.

–          The level of informing population on human rights in the Republic of Moldova was not considerably changed if compared to 2016 year. It was registered a non-significant decrease of share of those who consider themselves as being well informed. According to the Survey, the Internet has become a more important source for informing about human rights, mass-media (written press, TV and radio) being a little ahead.

For more details, please contact: Natalia Visanu, People’s Advocate Office: tel. 060002656, e-mail:natalia.visanu@old2.ombudsman.md