UN expert on minority issues launches her first official visit to the Republic of Moldova 

Romanian | Russian

GENEVA (16 June 2016) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, will visit the Republic of Moldova from 20 to 29 June 2016 to assess the situation of national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in the country.

“Moldova is a multi-ethnic and multilingual country that in recent years has made important efforts towards the recognition and promotion of minority rights. Yet, it has also witnessed a number of challenges associated to the management of its diversity that require targeted attention and solutions,” the expert said.

“I consider the protection and promotion of minority rights key to achieve social and political stability in a diverse society such as the Republic of Moldova”, she added.
   
Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye, who visits the Republic of Moldova at the invitation of the Government, will travel to Chisinau and to regions and localities with minority populations, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, Balti, Edinet, Orhei, Soroca and Taraclia, as well as the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.
 
During her ten-day visit, the human rights expert will meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including State authorities and UN officials, civil society actors, and members of minority communities to hear directly from them about their issues and concerns.

“This visit provides a great opportunity to engage with the Moldovan Government and civil society into a constructive dialogue in order to identify current challenges but also best practices to further ensure the human rights of persons belonging to minorities,” she stressed.

The Special Rapporteur will present her preliminary findings of the visit at a press conference on 29 June 2016 at 11:00 hours, at the conference room in the UN House, ground floor, 131, 31 August 1989 Street. Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye will present her full report on the mission to Moldova to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2017.

Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye (Hungary) was appointed as Independent Expert on minority issues by the Human Rights Council in June 2011 and subsequently her mandate was renewed as Special Rapporteur on minority issues in March 2014. She is tasked by the UN Human Rights Council, to promote the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, among other things.  Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Minorities/SRMinorities/Pages/SRminorityissuesIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Check the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/Minorities.aspx

UN Human Rights, country page – Republic of Moldova: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/ENACARegion/Pages/MDIndex.aspx 

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Chisinau (during the visit): Mr. Veaceslav Balan (+373 69 578 378 / vbalan@ohchr.org)
In Geneva (before and after the visit): Ms. Margarita Lema (+41 22 917 9248 / mlematome@ohchr.org) or write to  minorityissues@ohchr.org. 

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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