Roma are discriminated in the Republic of Moldova, the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities says in an Opinion on the Republic of Moldova. It notes that Roma in Moldova continue to face major obstacles with respect to their equal access to rights and basic services, particularly in the areas of education, employment and housing, IPN reports.
The Roma women are particularly affected by structural inequalities and discrimination. The Roma Action Plan 2011-2015, adopted in consultation with national minority and civil society representatives, contained a range of measures to overcome the persistent disadvantages and discrimination faced by Roma. However, implementation has been inconsistent as the allocation of competencies for concrete action between the various levels of authority was not always clearly defined, and the allocated resources proved to be largely insufficient.
The Advisory Committee further notes that no comprehensive solution has been found to the issue of documentation amongst Roma, despite the inclusion of this goal in the action plan. Lack of identity documents, often still caused by the absence of birth certificates, and lack of registration with the municipalities where they reside continues to seriously hamper the access of Roma to rights.
It is highly welcome that birth certificates are now issued directly in hospitals and efforts are also made to issue certificates free of charge to those born at home. Adults without a birth certificate, however, have to address the courts to establish their identity, which tends to be costly.
The Fourth Opinion on the Republic of Moldova was adopted on May 25, 2016 and published on March 1, 2017.
