The Press Club was organized by the Ombudsman's Institution in cooperation with the Independent Press Association and with support from the project "Support to National Institutions for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (INPPDO) as recommended Committees UN Conventions and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)", funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, financed and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Moldova and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in cooperation with the People's Advocate Office  and the Council for preventing and eliminating discrimination and ensuring equality.

The Press Club was moderated by the Ombudsman, Mihail Cotorobai, the Ombudsperson for the Protection of Child Rights, Maia Bănărescu, representatives of OHCHR Moldova.

OleseaPerean, consultant in the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) presented details of the UPR mechanism, the UPR actual specifics, the role of national institutions for the protection of human rights and media in this process.

Dumitru Roman, Deputy Head of the Policy and Reform Department of the Office of the Ombudsman informed the journalists' overall about the Ombudsman's Institution report on the second cycle of UPR, recommendations forwarded by the Ombudsman's Institution from Moldova and their importance and necessity. He noted that the new elements of the current report, compared to the previous cycle of the UPR are compartments in securing a decent living, access to safe drinking water and that the right to health.

The Ombudsman, Mihail Cotorobai, stressed the issues related to the realization by the authorities of the recommendations on strengthening national institutions for human rights protection, but also regarding the conditions of detention and combating torture. In this context, the Ombudsman noted the lack of progress in these directions.

Speaking of the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review and the vision of the Ombudsman on the results achieved at this time, MihailCotorobai has estimated that developments in this segment do not fit expectations.

After the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, the authorities have adopted policy documents - adjusted the National Action Plan on Human Rights for 2011-2014, but this was not insured financial coverage and there have not been established results and product indicators that would allow the estimation of the implementation of planned actions. As a result, many actions were reported, but the situation has not changed dramatically.

The Ombudsperson for the Protection of Child Rights, Maia Bănărescu, presented the findings and recommendations in the UPR second cycle compartment dedicated to children's rights. The Ombudsperson referred to the existing problems regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities, the child's right to grow up in a family environment, preventing and combating child labor exploitation, juvenile justice.

Details on the recommendations related to social protection, people with disabilities, gender equality, combating violence against women, a decent living, quality and availability of drinking water were presented by Svetlana Rusu, Head of the Investigation and Monitoring Department. Ada Simon, Head of the Petitions and Audience Department presented her arguments on the inclusion in the UPR report of several findings and recommendations related to the situation in the healthcare system and violations of the right to healthcare.

Journalists have requested some clarifications related to the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Moldova, but also had some comments to the topics addressed by the Office of the Ombudsman in the UPR Report on the deinstitutionalization and inclusion of children with disabilities; child labor; problems in the health system, drinking water supply and sewerage systems.

The Ombudspersons, The People's Advocate Office staff and journalists were unanimous in the idea of the need for close collaboration for positive change to the current state of affairs.

Mihail Cotorbai said that he assigns great importance to the relationship with the media, which he wishes to see be open and friendly. The Ombudsman said that the roles of the People's Advocate and the media are complementary: to oversee human rights situation and to report cases where they are not respected.

The media can help us greatly in our efforts to promote civic education and human rights culture. We know very well that the most poorly informed about their rights, are people from rural areas. We urge you to help us to inform people where, in what cases and whom to turn to protect their rights, says Mihail Cotorobai.

The Ombudsman also revealed that the media's role is crucial in changing attitudes both at the level of decision makers, as well as the ordinary people. Those whom we rely when we rid ourselves of prejudices and stereotypes, phenomena such as torture and mistreatment, discrimination, domestic violence, corruption etc. are the media. It can help us promote policy change initiatives at the state level for citizens. The conclusion that emerges is that we have the same mission and we must be in the same boat, said the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman appreciated the very good relations of cooperation established recently with the Independent Press Association. Officials of the Office of the Ombudsman participated in the actions of the IPA Campaign "First vote", a training for adolescents who were to participate in the election for the first time. Staff members took part in the promotion of human rights, activities the Independent Press Association has conducted and is currently conducting.

Present at the meeting, the Chairman of IPA, Tudor Iaşcenco and the Head of the Advocacy, publications and development of Department of the IPA, Ion Mazur, shoed interest for expansion and strengthening relationship of the IPA with the Ombudsman's Institution. They said that they count on the support of human rights experts from the Office of the Ombudsman, but also on the information, news, press releases issued by the Ombudsman's Institution, for better documentation when they tackle subjects related to certain topics.