Between 18 and 21 November, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, in partnership with the Council of Europe and the International Center “La Strada”, are hosting the international conference “Strengthening the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Through Evidence-Based Policy Development”. During the same period, Chisinau is also the venue for the 46th Plenary Session of the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Committee.
Both events are being held in the capital under the auspices of Moldova’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2025 – May 2026). More than 150 participants are attending, including representatives of member states, national and international experts, NGOs, and international partners.
These meetings aim to enhance cooperation, exchange best practices, and strengthen international efforts to prevent and combat sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children.
Daniella Misail-Nichitin, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Natalia Plugaru, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, delivered the opening remarks, reaffirming the Republic of Moldova’s commitment to preventing and combating the exploitation and sexual abuse of children, as well as emphasizing the importance of inter-institutional and international cooperation.
The Minister of Internal Affairs underscored the need to strengthen prevention measures in the online environment, ensure effective reporting mechanisms, and develop evidence-based public policies grounded in rigorous data and analysis.
Conference Panels
Panel I – “Developing Evidence-Based Policies”
The panel features an intervention by the Minister of Internal Affairs, who emphasized the importance of prevention, inter-institutional cooperation, and the development of evidence-based policies.
The participants include representatives of public authorities, international organizations, and child protection experts. Discussions focus on the recommendations of the Lanzarote Committee, the prevention of child exploitation and sexual abuse, and the cooperation mechanisms between the responsible institutions.
Panel II – “Exploiting data from Barnahus and other MDIA services for policies and practices”
Intervention: Vasile Cusca, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. The main message concerns the role of collecting and using data from Barnahus centers and multidisciplinary services for updating public policies and strengthening child protection mechanisms.
The Barnahus Model in the Republic of Moldova
The integrated Barnahus service center is a modern model of assistance for child victims and/or witnesses of crime. It provides a safe and child-friendly environment where specialized hearings, forensic examinations, assessments, and psychological support are offered in a single location.
The Minister of Internal Affairs notes that this model underscores the importance of an integrated approach to child protection, as well as the need for swift, coordinated, and tailored interventions. Expanding Barnahus services nationwide remains a priority to ensure that every child has access to high standards of protection and specialized support.
The 46th Plenary of the Lanzarote Committee includes the following agenda items:
- Evaluation of member states’ implementation of the Lanzarote Convention;
- Preliminary analysis of the report on the sexual exploitation of children facilitated by information technologies, including self-generated images;
- Examination of the revised questionnaire on “sexual abuse within trust relationships”;
- Discussions regarding national mechanisms for collecting relevant data;
- Presentation of legislative initiatives, good practices, and public policies implemented across member states.
The active participation of the Republic of Moldova in these processes reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights, strengthening the national child protection system, and contributing to the pan-European exchange of expertise.
During its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Republic of Moldova places particular emphasis on international cooperation, alignment of the national framework with European standards, and the promotion of rigorous measures to protect every child from exploitation and sexual abuse — including in the online environment.