“The partnership between the school and the police is very important for creating an environment in which the young people of Moldova would feel safe. This collaboration is meant for educating a new generation of young people in the values of rule of law and for breaking down false perceptions about police activity. It is very important to think of what we can achieve together, as a community", said Mr. Robert Alexander, Senior Law Enforcement Advisor from the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova at the National Launch Conference of the Legal Socialization Program in the Moldovan Schools that took place on Thursday, February 27, 2020.
The Moldova Legal Socialization Program (MLSP) aims to strengthen the rule of law, to support Moldovan communities in preventing juvenile delinquency, and develop a positive relationship between juveniles and law enforcement authorities. The event was attended by approximately 50 local school principals, teachers, and police officers from the 4 pilot regions selected for the first stage of implementation within the program (Chisinau, Straseni, Ungheni and Soroca).
During the event, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Police Inspectorate presented the policies, objectives and experiences in the field of legal socialization and prevention of juvenile delinquency along with their vision related to the implementation of the program.
The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, Ms. Natalia Grîu, mentioned that this MLS Program will increase students' knowledge in the field of citizenship rights and responsibilities which will eventually lead to a decrease in juvenile delinquency rates: "I was delighted that the legal socialization program represents an intersectoral cooperation between teachers and police officers. Together we will be able to achieve the goal of increasing youth awareness on legal issues as very often young people are not even aware that they are breaking the law.”
The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Mariana Grama, thanked the initiators of the legal socialization program: “I would like to thank you for the fact that this program is oriented towards children, or in other words towards the future. We expect this program to offer young people a useful platform on legal socialization issues.”
The participants from the pilot communities were also informed about the goal, objectives, activities and expected results within the program, their role in working with young people on legal socialization activities and effective international implementation practices and lessons learned.
The Legal Socialization in Moldovan Schools Program is implemented by PH International Moldova and funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). For more information about MLSP, please contact Iurie Pîntea, PH International Moldova Country Director/MLS Program Manager by email: iurie.pintea@ph-int.org.
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