More local initiatives enhance social cohesion in communities of Security Zone on both banks of Dniester

Chisinau, 21 August /MOLDPRES/ - The results and the impact of 12 local initiatives implemented in settlements of the Security Zone on both banks of Dniester have been unveiled at a summing up event organized by UN Women in partnership with the CONTACT Centre.      

During three months, the teams of those 12 initiatives, with 62 partners involved, carried out dozens of activities and events in 55 settlements from the Security Zone on both banks of Dniester. Over 5,718 people were informed and involved in local peace activities, focused on the importance of the social cohesion, consolidation of peace, inclusion and women’s participation in the decision-making process, as well as of the good-neighbour relations.  

„The capacity of the people on both banks of Dniester to build a lasting peace and consolidate the confidence was the principal goal of these initiatives. Even if they were short, they had a major impact. We want to have more projects of this kind, they should have a longer duration, so that we involve more actors and have a higher impact,’’ the director of the CONTACT Centre, Serghei Neicovcen, said.     

The country representative of the UN Women Moldova, Dominika Stojanoska, stressed the crucial role played by women and the positive impact they bring to their communities and in the building of a lasting peace. ‘’It is important that we speak about the social cohesion, peace and people, including women’s role in these processes. We cannot build a lasting peace, if young women and men, women are excluded from this process. It has been already proved that, when people participate in processes of negotiating conflicts, the peace lasts more. Women are extremely involved in the life of the communities they belong to and their voices must be heard. Therefore, I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts made in the implementation of these local initiatives, which had a major impact on communities’ development,’’ Dominika Stojanoska noted.      

Attending the event was also the deputy director of the Office of Ombudsman, Oxana Gumennaia. She said that ‘’the two banks of Dniester are closer than they seem and I am sure that each of you want the country to be in peace and understanding. I thank you for the implementation of these initiatives, for you making efforts for the consolidation of the peace and the observance of the rights of the people on the entire territory of this country.’’   

Those 12 initiatives got financial support for implementation worth up to 90,000 lei each. The local initiatives were implemented in partnership with the CONTACT Centre, within the project, Building lasting and inclusive peace, consolidation of the social cohesion on both banks of Dniester. The project is implemented jointly by the UN Human Rights Office, UNDP, UN Women and is financed through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.