Vladislav Cojuhari
The document was signed on 11 September in Chișinău by the Minister of Justice, Vladislav Cojuhari, and the new UNICEF Representative in Moldova, Deyana Kostadinova, during their first official meeting.
What areas does the plan cover?
According to the document, the parties intend to continue the specialisation of justice system staff, as well as to strengthen cooperation between the justice, social protection, health and law enforcement authorities.
A separate area of focus concerns children who have been victims of or witnesses to crimes. The plan provides for the development of relevant specialised services, including models such as Barnahus, which involve comprehensive support for children through collaboration between various services.
For children in conflict with the law, the plan provides for an expansion of alternative measures to imprisonment. It also envisages strengthening probation, restorative justice and reintegration programmes.
Justice Minister Vladislav Cojuhari stated that this new phase of cooperation should focus more on prevention. “Going forward, we intend to concentrate our efforts more on prevention, so that we can intervene before a child becomes a victim of violence or comes into conflict with the law,” the minister said.
According to him, this approach involves developing education, accessible services and viable alternatives for children, whilst existing resources should be channelled where they can deliver tangible results.
UNICEF emphasises the accessibility of services
UNICEF’s representative in Moldova, Deyana Kostadinova, noted that the country already has established practices in the field of juvenile justice; however, the next step must be to ensure access to these services for the children who need them most.
“We aim to translate general priorities into concrete outcomes for children, with a particular focus on prevention, services tailored to their needs, and alternatives that safeguard their rights and future prospects,” said Cojuhari.
UNICEF intends to continue supporting Moldova through expert assistance and international expertise.
The cooperation plan runs until the end of 2027 and forms part of the ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Justice and UNICEF to develop a child-centred justice system and protect children’s rights.
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