A new unit has been created within the State Chancellery of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, which will ensure the relations between the government and CSOs. The new unit was established within the Directorate of Permanent Secretariats (DPS) of the State Chancellery.
The specific tasks of the unit include:
- Submitting proposals to amend and supplement the legal framework in order to develop and strengthen the institutional mechanism of collaboration between public authorities and CSOs in the processes of elaboration, monitoring and evaluation of public policies;
- Organizing events to promote CSO participation in decision-making processes and to stimulate public authorities to support their respective participation;
- Monitoring the consultation of draft policy documents with civil society and transparency in the decision-making process;
- Monitoring and ensuring the implementation of the Civil Society Development Strategy Strategy / Action Plan. Preparation of reports, informative notes regarding the execution of the provisions of the Strategy and the related Action Plan;
- Establishing and maintaining collaboration with the international institutions, donor community in order to identify the possibilities of financing the activities for promoting and ensuring the civic dialogue.
The DPS consists of seven units of personnel headed by Mrs. Emilia Cebotari. Since its creation in 2018, DPS did not have a unit assigned for the relations with CSOs. In addition to monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan of the Civil Society Development Strategy, the DPS is also responsible for providing organizational, informational assistance and maintaining secretarial work for other Government advisory bodies (such as the National Council for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, National Commission for Collective Bargaining and Consultation, National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, National Council Human rights). Previously, the DPS provided the secretariat of the National Council for Participation – a structure that had the role of ensuring the strategic partnership between public authorities, civil society and the private sector.
Creation and strengthening of a cooperation structure with civil society is part of the first activity in the Action Plan of the Civil Society Development Strategy: “The establishment, at Government level, of a structure responsible for cooperation with civil society and its consolidation”, with the deadline set for 2018.
Appointment of a focal point for Government-CSO cooperation addresses one of the specific recommendations of the latest CSO Meter Country Report regarding the adoption of institutional procedures for direct and open collaboration between the Directorate of Permanent Secretariats of the State Chancellery and CSOs.