The workshop was opened by Ms. Valentina Buliga, the Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family of the Republic of Moldova. The Minister emphasized the importance of the new mechanism that permits contracting of non-state actors for provision of services and has a potential to better reflect the citizens’ needs. She also mentioned the need to carefully review good European and regional experiences in contracting some of the social services out.
The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family in Moldova is currently exploring the models of social service provision with assistance of local experts: Ms. Marcela Dilion prepared the analysis report of the existing legal framework for social service provision, relevant international experience and recommendations for implementation, and Ms. Eugenia Eni works on the recommendations for developing the mechanism for contracting. Their assessments were presented during the workshop and were followed up by questions and answers.
To assist the Ministry in its assessment of possible implementation models, ECNL, FHI 360 and the National Participation Council brought in international experts from United Kingdom, Ukraine and Bulgaria, who spoke of their countries’ experiences and shared the lessons learnt.
Ms. Ekaterina Savchuk, coordinator of the Resource Center of General Direction for labor and social protection, Khmelnitski, shared Ukranian experience in establishing the system of contracting social services on the national and on the local level, talked about its rationale and procedures, as well as drew some lessons learnt that could be useful for Moldova.
James Allen of NCVO spoke of key issues in financing and regulation, as well as civil society's role in provision of services in the United Kingdom.
Finally, Luben Panov from BCNL talked about the Bulgarian, Armenian and Kazakh experience in establishing the legal framework and procedures for contracting. Finally, specific issues pertinent to procedures of contracting, financing, monitoring and evaluation of implementation were discussed in the group that will support the following activities in the Working Group formed under the Ministry’s auspices to introduce necessary amendments to the legislation in order to contract out social services.
ECNL is committed to provide comparative information and, at request, technical assistance to the Working Group and the Ministry.
The workshop was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Moldova Civil Society Strengthening Program (MCSSP), implemented by FHI 360. The local experts work and ECNL’s input has been supported by a number of donors and stakeholders: USAID, SIDA, Soros Foundation Moldova, Pontis Foundation and FHI 360, Keystone Foundation and East Europe Foundation.