specific needs of children and elderly left behind as a ... - IOM Moldova

Policies and mechanisms existing on the protection of children and the elderly
- Material help for poor children and for those left behind as a consequence
of migration: “to provide them with school supplies” (FG_
EC_rural).
The Decision no. 450 of 2.06.2010, according to the interviewed experts,
stipulates the development of the local partnership: “all segments are
covered but it should be implemented at the community level, where the beneficiary
is. There we can see the real situation, as on paper all may seem right
but once getting there, as a result of discussions and the research we will see
exactly” (III_EC_3).
Only after making common efforts it is possible to identify the best solutions
to solve the problems of children left behind as a consequence of
migration. A separate approach should be replaced by the exhaustive one
as only in this way the child will have the possibility to benefit from a complex
support network offered in partnership with institutions/community
social actors: mayoralty, social assistance services, school, police, etc.
• Effectiveness of policies
The migration phenomenon will exist as long as there will be circumstances
and reasons that will require a certain mobility. At the moment, the
reason for labour migration is to provide the family a decent living. In this
context, “institutions should develop certain capacities to act better. Here
can be seen the role of every institution, including mass media, institutions of
local public administration, not only social assistance departments but also
school, medical institutions or to bring to the agenda of these institutions
the issue of children left behind, which represents the main philosophy
of the entire process. This is important, each official should observe this
phenomenon at the local level” declared the Central Public Administration
representative (III_EC_1).
Moreover, in order to ensure the efficiency of policies it is important
not to continue to ignore this issue and its consequences. For institutional
reasons or of intention to get political advantages the phenomenon
of migration was quite plainly referred to in social policies, such as, “our
society ignored this phenomenon, including the mass media and civil society
institutions who also took no account of this phenomenon. That is why today
we face belated reactions for the simple reason that actions should have been
taken earlier. It was clear that we are confronted with this phenomenon in
circumstances when people were more inclined to go abroad than to return
back to the country” (III_EC_1).
It is important to stress the necessity to develop institutions’ capacities to
act in new circumstances and to cope with new problems that imply individual
intervention. Children affected by labour migration represent a
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