Law students raise awareness about free legal aid during OSCE Mission to Moldova-supported public lecture in Comrat

On 20 September 2016, the OSCE Mission to Moldova supported a lecture for 28 first-year vocational students in the autonomous region of Gagauzia about the benefits of state guaranteed legal assistance. The lecture was given by two law students from Comrat State University who previously participated in the Mission’s project to train future lawyers to deliver free legal aid.

Participants learned about Moldova’s legal aid system, with a particular focus on the free-of-charge support available to victims of human trafficking. The lecturers also provided advice on how to report trafficking crimes to the competent authorities and how to seek legal advice from the state in such situations. 

“Besides providing participants with important information on the free legal assistance available in trafficking cases, this lecture wasa valuable opportunity to put into practice what I have learned about delivering legal aid to the public,” said Maria Iakimova, a law student and beneficiary of the Mission’s legal aid project. “It was extremely rewarding to apply my training to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding, and in doing so to reduce the risk of human trafficking to which young people are unfortunately exposed.” 

The student lecturers were previously trained as part of a project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Chisinau-based Institute for Penal Reform since 2015.  The aim of the project is to expand the reach of the state guaranteed legal aid system in Moldova by engaging law students to deliver primary legal aid.