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Tensions Rage in Eastern Europe

These protests in Ukraine coincided with our Study Abroad group’s departure from Moldova, and it was hard not to reflect on the parallels between the two countries.  The tension between reform and movement to join the European Union with an older generation’s nostalgia for Soviet times, when there was at least some protection against poverty and a guaranty of a basic standard of living, is felt within families and across the population.  Russia exerts pressure away from reform, and there is cause to question the independence of media outlets.  “Democracy is a fragile thing”, said a member of the Liberal Democratic Youth Movement in Moldova.  And I am beginning to understand…

Social Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities in Moldova

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Keystone incorporates artwork and other media as part of a multi-pronged approach to promoting awareness and supporting social inclusion.

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Meeting with Motivatie staff.

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This Motivatie residence is a place for youth and families to visit on weekends. Youth participate in recreation while also learning independent living skills.

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Arriving at Keystone

The Republic of Moldova is a country that is experiencing  ongoing political and economic transition.  In the midst of this, our group found social service organizations working hard here for change on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized populations. Two examples are Motivatie and Keystone Moldova.  Before describing their services, consider the following context:

  • According to the Every Child Moldova Report (20013), as recently as 10 years ago the only option for a child who had to leave their parents was life in an institution.  1.3% of all Moldova children went into institutions and stayed an average of 7-8 years.  Until very recently, community level services for individuals with disabilities were not available.
  • Social inclusion of people with disabilities in Moldova is urgently needed according to the United Nations (See http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45847&Cr=moldova&Cr1=#.UtrO648o5y0), and Moldova must make progress in order to meet it’s own national goals, as well as international and EU standards.

Keystone Moldova, an organization under the umbrella of Keystone International, has been working for social inclusion since it’s inception in 2003, and has been working to transform systems of care for children and their families.  They have helped to develop guidelines for inclusive schools and participated in the crafting of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  See Paradigm Shift in Moldova.  The agency has also worked to empower children and families through the use of story telling and narrative therapy, and other creative approaches.  Social enterprise programs and community homes have also been developed.

Another NGO, Motivatie Moldova, is working to support the social integration of children with physical disabilities and promoting their rights.  The organization is involved in education and awareness programs throughout Moldova. For example, their team of basketball players show off their skills from their wheelchairs prior to major sporting events. Motivatie is also creating  an array of alternative services, and assisting children in becoming more independent.

The creative and multi-dimensional approaches, such as those adopted by Keystone and Motivatie, are helping to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and are making a difference in Moldova by providing services in creative and sophisticated ways.

See also, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

See also, UNICEF Country Document.

See also, Every Child Moldova Report

LGBT Rights in Moldova- Staff at Gender Doc Breaking New Ground

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We happened to visit on the Director’s Birthday!

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Our Study Abroad group has come across some amazing work being done here in Moldova.  The NGO “Gender Doc” is no exception.  Since 1988 the staff of Gender Doc have been working towards the goal of “social integration” for LGBT individuals across every part of Moldovan society.  They provide an array of services and programs, i.e. outreach, working to raise awareness, providing a safe space, support groups for parents, and much more.

What I found most impressive was the organization’s efforts and successes in achieving justice for victims of human rights abuses and the work they have done to move forward key legislation.  For example, Gender Doc lobbied  for and helped to draft the first-of-its-kind Anti-Discrimination Law in Moldova.  They have also successfully leveraged the power of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to a number of cases of human rights abuse.  The European Court intervenes when no justice has been found within a state after all local mechanisms have been exhausted.  In one instance, the Court found Moldova guilty of discrimination for blocking the group’s Gay Pride Parade from occurring in the center of the capitol city.

When attempting to understand the barriers LGBT individuals face here, one must consider some very complex factors, i.e. the legacy of Soviet rule, the very high level of “internalized homophobia”, and even the political choices the country is struggling with currently.  Should Moldova persist in efforts to join the European Union?  Interest in joining the Union has helped to move forward key legislation such as the Anti-Discrimination Law mentioned above.  Not everyone in Moldova supports joining the Union, however, and those opposed to gay rights say that it is this effort that has helped to “legitimize homosexuality”.

It is a complicated political landscape here…which I hope to convey in an upcoming post. Those working for democratic reform and advocating for the rights of vulnerable populations have a lot at stake with an upcoming election that is fast approaching.

In the meantime, Gender Doc staff are truly helping to break new ground here in Moldova, and we applaud their work!

See Amnesty International Report on Gender Doc march: Historic Gay Pride Parade in Moldova

For a listing of human rights violations by European states, including the Republic of Moldova, see: European Court of Human Rights:  Violations by State http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Stats_violation_1959_2012_ENG.pdf

Gender Equality in Moldova: Being Inspired

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Alexei Buzu, Executive Director of a leading NGO which promotes gender equality in Moldova was just 19 years old when he was first elected to political office. He was still in college at the time and was studying finance and economics.

Alexei described to our Study Abroad group the tremendous responsibility he felt to participate, and then once elected to follow through on his promises to end corruption and promote political inclusion. “But who else if not me?”, he asked himself.

He makes the case that gender equality is just good public policy, and states that equal treatment and equal opportunity are simply not enough. Structural inequalities must be removed, and the impact of policies on the individual and personal level must be better understood.

See also, Being Inspired in Moldova.

Moldova Study Abroad

UB School of Social Work – Winter Session Study Abroad

The development of social welfare institutions in the Republic of Moldova has occurred within a context of rapid change and resource constraints. Our Study Abroad group looks forward to examining the impact of these changes, as well as the impact of language, history and cultural paradigms on the process of engagement and community practice in Moldova. We will also be exploring the importance of working with other disciplines in environments in which social work is an emerging profession.

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A Ray of Hope!

I was inspired by this NPR story.  Researchers looked at what methods effectively change people’s unconscious racial biases.  You’ll be surprised by what did…and what didn’t!

Incorporating successful elements in to various technologies – simulations, games, etc. – may prove helpful in reducing bias!  

 

Innovations in Teaching

I’ve been thinking lately that so much about our learning depends on context.  (The field practicum in social work is a perfect example of this.)

I imagine that early man, in fact, found the idea of teaching in a classroom (an actual space removed from their day to day activities) as a rather novel idea.  Perhaps classrooms were deemed a technological innovation of sorts!

Ironically, the classroom space today is held up by many as the ideal place for learning to occur.    But is it really ideal?

Gaming platforms offer many more advantages for learning than do traditional classroom environments. Learning in virtual worlds is experiential, and can include collaboration.
Students may find the virtual environment less threatening than a real-world practicum setting.   Environments might be tailored more to the needs of individual students.

I’m not saying that gaming is the preferred approach to teaching every imaginable subject.  I’m certainly not saying that it would replace the field practicum in social work.  But I have a growing list of topics that I think it would be well-suited for (and maybe better suited for).

i suspect that in the future gaming and other new technologies will lead to new discoveries about how people learn, and the effectiveness of more conventional approaches will be debated.  In the meantime, educators will need to keep an open mind about the possibilities.

After all, imagine if as a species we had never given the classroom a chance.