Chisinau, June 14th, 2023: More than 200 women from the Republic of Moldova and Romania joined forces yesterday on the Women4Security platform to initiate projects aimed at developing security and organisational culture for the well-being and security of citizens in the region and in Europe.
At the initiative of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ms. Ana REVENCO, women leaders who are putting their shoulder to the wheel of their country’s progress, and namely: mayors, businesswomen, MPs, diplomats from both countries, identified options for strengthening a security network on issues of common interest to both countries: community involvement, digitisation, cross-sector connections, and youth involvement.
Speaking during the event, President of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Maia SANDU stressed:
At a time when security risks have risen exponentially, women from our region are on the front line to provide security and safeguard peace at home, in the locality, at the workplace, and in Ukraine – on the front line. (..)A few years ago, in the Republic of Moldova, women were too little involved in activities related to politics, security, public order. Today much has changed. Women represent 40% in the Moldovan Parliament, a record number in the history of our country (…)
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Ana REVENCO, underlined that the aim of the event was to identify and increase joint initiatives involving society, business, institutional and political environment.
The recent period has taught us that security is not just about the military. Security is the basis of any initiative. Without security, families cannot be built, businesses cannot be grown. Without security, no house can stand and no country has a future. Thank you all for your increased interest towards the Women4Security platform. Your involvement will help us to build policies that will allow the community life, the social stability to generate an increased quality of life for citizens in countries which social stability influences the stability of Europe, said the Minister.
Ms. Nicoleta PAULIUC, President of the Committee for Defence, Public Order and National Security in the Romanian Senate, stressed, while referring to the establishment of the network on issues of common interest, that in her opinion ‘the seeds of the Moldovan-Romanian collaboration in the field of security have already been planted’ through the Women4Security platform.
Regarding the cross-sector connections, it is obvious that Romania is not limited to the security dimension when it comes to supporting the Republic of Moldova (…)We have spoken on several occasions about extending the concept of security to various economic and social areas which are essential to the functioning of any country, including not only military and border security, but also energy, food, and digital security. Security should be extended on the cultural component in a specific case of certain forms of attack by the Russian Federation on the Republic of Moldova, said Nicoleta PAULIUC.
Doina GHERMAN, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Policy and European Integration of the Moldovan Parliament, mentioned in her welcoming speech: ‘The Republic of Moldova has risen 56 places, in the last year, in the world ranking of women’s participation in politics. Today, Moldova ranks 16th out of 146 countries (…) Gender equality goes hand in hand with democracy, prosperity, peace, and security’.
The Women4Security Forum voted on a series of important decisions for further partnerships in the field of societal security. According to the resolution:
Women4Security Platform becomes a dynamic tool through the Network of Initiatives and Projects Moldova – Romania.
The Working Groups propose and implement initiatives and projects that produce positive effects for the peace, freedom, dignity and well-being of each individual, family, community, region and state.
Initiatives and projects may include, but are not limited to, soft activities, awareness raising, problem description, presentation of best practice models, analysis of opportunities, exchange of expertise or training.
The Network is subscribed to the NATO Women, Peace and Security Agenda of November 2020 and to the EU Council Conclusions on Women, Peace and Security of November 2022.
The Women4Security Community was created in April 2022 at the initiative of Minister of Internal Affairs Ana Revenco. The next meeting of the Forum will take place in Romania in the third quarter of this year.
