Core Support Balti Legal Clinic Moldova 2023-2026

Summary of the results achieved by Balti Legal Clinic (BLC) in 2023, both expected and unexpected: 1) Access to Justice Program: - Pro Bono Legal Assistance: Provided free legal aid to 1,543 vulnerable individuals (986 women, 557 men), including Ukrainian refugees. - Legal Empowerment Activities: Conducted 30 legal literacy sessions in rural villages, benefiting 1,498 individuals. - Advocacy & Dialogue for Access to Justice: Engaged with national and local stakeholders, influencing policy reforms and securing collaborations to improve legal aid access. 2) Outreach Program: - Legal Awareness Campaigns: Informed over 20,000 individuals about their rights, domestic violence protections, and legal aid availability. - Training Initiatives: Trained 221 young people in anti-corruption measures and empowered 43 representatives from 35 CSOs in legal and financial management. 3) Social Services Development: - Launched the "Social Laundry" mobile service in Glodeni, improving hygiene conditions for 748 vulnerable individuals. - Secured additional support from GIZ to expand social service reach to 1,000 people. 4) Organizational Development: - Recruited three new staff members (Program Officers and Financial Manager) to enhance institutional capacity. - Conducted gender and ecological audits, leading to strategic adjustments in policies and office improvements. Unexpected Results: - Increased Engagement in Domestic Violence Cases: A notable rise in court applications for protective measures (106 cases, up from 103 in 2022). 61 criminal cases related to domestic violence were examined in Balti Court. - Challenges in Financial Management Hiring: Faced difficulties in retaining a qualified financial manager, requiring multiple recruitment attempts and redistribution of tasks among existing staff. - Impact of Advocacy Actions: Successfully influenced local and national authorities to revise the calculation methodology for heating costs, following a citizen petition with 1,800 signatures. Strengthened partnerships with legal institutions, resulting in a renewed collaboration agreement with the National Legal Aid Council. - Expansion of Legal Aid Reach: Increased demand for mobile legal aid services, leading to three active Mobile Teams covering 50 localities. Inclusion of intellectually and psychosocially disabled individuals as a new target group for legal assistance. - Strategic Influence on Policy Changes: Improved working conditions and remuneration for paralegals, increasing the motivation and quality of legal aid services. Identified systemic gaps in state-guaranteed legal aid, leading to ongoing discussions on legislative amendments. These results demonstrate BLC's significant impact in advancing access to justice, social services, and legal empowerment, while also adapting to unforeseen challenges and opportunities.

The overall goal of the LC, established for 2022 2026 Development Strategy, is to contribute to improving the quality of justice and respect for human rights in Northern Moldova, and facilitate the access to the most vulnerable groups by extending the result to national level. The Clinic has identified strategic objectives in three core areas with the focus on measurable outputs, outcomes and long-term impacts access to justice program, outreach program, and organizational development.