Survey: 169 children from Moldova don't have IDs
A recent survey showed that 169 children from the country don't have identity acts.
76% of them live with their biologic parents and other 16% with their tutors. Because of the lack of acts, the children can't go to schools or kindergartens. Also, they can't benefit of social aids or free medical assistance.
Ion Platon is 15 years old. He doesn't have an ID. Because of this, he wasn't accepted at the graduating exams of the gymnasium. Till now, he studied according to an act his mother received at the maternity.
"I should have been to the summer camp. I took the ticked from the place I study at", said Ion Platon, citizen of Racovat village.
His mother was 15 years old when she gave birth to him.
"I wanted to receive a passport, to marry my man and to take his last name. I wanted my child to have Turcan name. This is why we decided like this. But, after a month, he left me", said Lilia Platon, the mother of the child.
The woman wanted to make the acts of the child when he was nine years old. But, the act she received at the maternity was not valid. She addressed this year at the instance to receive the acts that confirm she is the mother of the child.
"At the maternity, she declared Turcan last name. But, actually, it's Platon. This is why we can't change the birth certificate. He can't benefit of social aid, because he doesn't have any documents", said Cristina Ceban.
The public lawyer for children's rights, Maia Banarescu says the lack of the documents happens because of the irresponsible parents. They don't have ID and their children automatically can't receive those either. There are many solutions of this problem. On of them is to shorten the term of registering a child from three to one month. Also, the new-born can be registered at the maternity, not at the Civil Status Office.
"The official registration deadline is quite long and we have proposed and discussed within the working group the registration procedure and the issue of the certificate in maternity wards", said Maia Banarescu, the public lawyer for the children's rights.
From 169 children without IDs, 41 are involved in the educational system. Even if at the child's registration at the school is required an ID that would confirm the identity of the person, some institutions make an exception. Anyway, the survey has good results, comparatively with 2013. In 2013, there were 300 children without IDs.