HIGHLIGHTS OF RESULTS Xenia wants to go to school As a result of Xenia’s determination, the efforts of her doctors and the perseverance and support of her parents, Xenia can now speak, perfectly coordinate her hand movements and she hopes that one day she will be able to walk. Tatiana, Xenia’s mother, cannot even imagine their lives any other way. In fact, she believes that her daughter will get a good education and will succeed in life. Yet, this was not always the case. Until recently, Tatiana did not dare to dream of this. Tatiana participated in trainings organized by UN Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova which aims to encourage persons with disabilities and their families to protect their rights and helps them to realize their right to a life of dignity and well-being. “I am so grateful for these trainings. Now I know plenty of things that are useful for my child and for other children. I want to thank you for opening my eyes and showing me the way to move forward. We need this support in order to know what to do and where to go,” Tatiana said. Xenia will soon turn six, but she likes telling everyone that she is four years old. Xenia, or Xiusha (as her parents call her), is a cheerful and positive girl, with wisdom in her eyes. When asked about kindergarten, she doesn’t know what to say, but she definitely knows she wants to go to school. Xenia was born prematurely, at only 27 weeks. When she was eight days old, doctors delivered a harsh verdict. Because of cerebral palsy, she would never be able to walk or talk. The first two years of her life were very difficult. The family constantly travelled back and forth from their small village of Butor, in the Grigoriopol district on the left bank of the Nistru River, to pediatric hospitals in Chisinau and sometimes to those in Moscow. Xenia never went to kindergarten. The public school system rejected the girl, condemning her to remain isolated at home, despite the fact that she does talk, is sociable and eager to communicate with other children. But, the concept of inclusive education does not exist on the left side of the Nistru River and almost all the children with disabilities are prohibited from participating in mainstream schools. Instead, they are placed in specialized institutions or forced to remain at home. Before joining the programme run by UN Human Rights, Tatiana did not know that things could be different. When the kindergarten prevented her from staying with Xenia for a few hours per day, she did not know she had the right to insist, since this situation was quite common in their community. She didn’t know that Xenia’s fundamental right to quality education on an equal basis with other children, without segregation and marginalization, was being violated. According to statistics, approximately 21,000 persons with disabilities live on the left bank of the Nistru River. Most are socially excluded and, having been largely deprived of their rights to education, labour, health and family, are entirely dependent on others. With the help of UN Human Rights, some are learning about their rights to be better able to claim their rights. Maybe now that Xenia’s mother is better informed, Xenia’s dream of going to school with other children will one day come true. Young people from various ethnic and linguistic groups of the Republic of Moldova participate at the first summer school on minority rights. © OHCHR/Republic of Moldova 18 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2017