Project Summary:

The overall goal of the project is to achieve a paradigm shift from the medical to human rights-based approach to disability determination that would allow the development of inclusive services as well as will be based on effective accountability and Governance mechanisms.

The project will address three major barriers to inclusion of persons with disabilities in Moldova: (i) predominant medical approach to disability assessment and determination, (ii) limited accountability and governance mechanisms for Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) implementation and (iii) limited mainstreaming of rights of persons with disabilities in the national programmes, development programmes, budgets and monitoring processes.

As a result, the project will develop capacities of duty bearers to address preconditions to disability inclusion. Besides that, the project will focus on addressing gaps in the domestic legislative framework, regulations and systems on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices and technologies. Also, support will be offered to the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) Moldova to mainstream disability into the UN-Moldova Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2023 – 2027.

The project is implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and OHCHR.

Objective:

The overall objective of the project is to enhance the capacity of national stakeholders, especially of the key duty bearers and rights holders to ensure more effective contributions towards disability inclusive policies, systems and for the implementation of the CRPD and SDGs. The project also aims at addressing the gaps achieving the essential building blocks or preconditions to CRPD implementation in development and humanitarian programmes.

Expected results:

• National stakeholders capacities enhanced, especially of key duty bearers and rights holders to ensure more effective contributions towards disability inclusive policies, systems and for the implementation of the CRPD and SDGs through:

1. support of the NCDDWA to increase its capacity to enable the transition of disability determination from a model based on narrow health consideration to a model centered on human rights and empowerment in line with CRPD and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, including for children and youth;
2. support of the capacity development of OPDs in the same pilot regions to participate in the design and piloting of the new guidelines;
3. provide UNCT with the knowledge and tools to strengthen disability mainstreaming within the development frameworks and programmes.

• The gaps in achieving the essential building blocks or preconditions to CPRD implementation in development and humanitarian programs addressed through:

1. review of the regulations on disability determination and provision of assistive technologies and devices based on CRPD standards and emerging experience from the pilot regions;
2. development of the regulations focused on streamlining the cross-sectoral creation, collection and use of disability disaggregated data based on CRPD standards;
3. establishment of a multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral consultative mechanism for the process of harmonization of national implementation of CRPD, as well as facilitate an inclusive policy dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

• National development and humanitarian plans, budgets, programs and monitoring processes include disability components through:

1. mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in the UN-Moldova Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027;
2. national authorities aligned the national framework of SDG indicators to the CRPD standards.

Accomplishments:

• National stakeholders capacities enhanced, especially of key duty bearers and rights holders to ensure more effective contributions towards disability inclusive policies, systems and for the implementation of the CRPD and SDGs:

1. Assessment of training needs and of continuous learning environment within the National Council for Determination of Disability and Work Ability (NCDDWA) and its territorial structures from the perspective of the human rights-based approach to disability determination for adults and children carried out;
2. Report on the training needs assessment of NCCDWA staff regarding human rights-based approach on disability determination for adults and children prepared;
3. Multi-modular training curriculum for NCCDWA staff regarding human rights-based approach on disability determination for adults and children developed;
4. Guidelines to support transition from medical to human rights-based approach to disability determination for adults and children;
5. Training-of-trainers for the selected staffers of NCDDWA based on the developed training curricula and materials;
6. Training for a multi-disciplinary NCDDWA team members on how to apply the new developed guidelines to support continuous training disability determination staff of the NCDDWA;
7. 2 cycles of trainings on mainstreaming disability inclusion in United Nations Country Team Moldova programs, projects and interventions conducted;
8. Coaching and guidance were provided by UN Human Rights Moldova in mainstreaming disability inclusion in the programs and intervention of UN Agencies;
9. Coaching and guidance in mainstreaming disability inclusion in the refugee response, in different working groups and task forces created under the Refugee Interagency Coordination forum provided;Trainings for the identified OPDs and informal groups on human rights-based approach to disability determination and advocacy skills conducted;
10. Rapid situational assessment on disability determination in three selected regions (North, Center and South) facilitated;
11. Three regional advocacy groups created and supported in development of their advocacy plans.

• Gaps in achievement of essential building blocks or preconditions to CPRD implementation in development and humanitarian programs are addressed:

1. Review of the current legal framework, regulations and systems on disability determination against the CRPD standards and International Classification of Functioning (ICF), including Disability and Health Children and Youth requirements conducted;  
2. Gap analysis of data collection and disaggregation regulations and procedures used by the National Bureau of Statistics, NCDDWA and other administrative data producers and policy actions to enhance the regulatory framework conducted;
3. Support on drafting the Government Decision regarding the approval of the Statistical Indicator Matrix on Persons with Disabilities and the amendment of Government Decision No. 357/2018 on the determination of disability;
4. Development of the draft the Law on the special measure to verify the correctness of establishing the disability degree;
5. Support on drafting the National Programme for Social inclusion of Persons with Disabilities;
6. Report on the assessment of the current mechanism of needs assessment, planning and ensuring access to assistive devices for persons with disabilities, including children and youth;
7. Policy options proposed to improve planning and access to assistive devices related to habilitation, rehabilitation, and inclusion;
8. Establishment and support of a formal multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral consultative mechanism to support legislative, policy and systems changes and engage persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities and their representative organizations, in harmonization of implementation framework on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices and technologies with CRPD standards.

• National development and humanitarian plans, budgets, programs and monitoring processes include disability components:

1. During the reporting period, all implementing partner agencies (UN Human Rights Moldova, UNDP Moldova, UNICEF Moldova) mainstreamed disability in the process of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework development;
2. For an inclusive and participatory process, one on-line consultation on mainstreaming disability inclusion, disability inclusive indicators and potential sources of information for the UN-Moldova Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework matrix was conducted with the participation of OPDs, experts on disability inclusion and CSOs service providers for persons with disabilities;  
3. Report on Integration of Aspects concerning Disability into the National Framework for Monitoring the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.