E/C.12/MDA/CO/2 United Nations Economic and Social Council Distr.: General 12 July 2011 Original: English Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Forty-sixth session Geneva, 2-20 May 2011 Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Republic of Moldova 1. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the second periodic report of the Republic of Moldova on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/MDA/2) at its 6th to 8th meetings, held on 4 and 5 May 2011 (E/C.12/2011/SR.6-8), and adopted, at its 29th meeting held on 20 May 2011, the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the second periodic report of the Republic of Moldova and the written replies to its list of issues (E/C.12/MDA/Q/2/Add.1). The Committee appreciates the frank and constructive dialogue with the delegation of the State party, which included representatives from various ministries. It notes, however, that the State party’s report did not sufficiently address the issues referred to in the Committee’s previous concluding observations (E/C.12/1/Add.91). (It encourages the State party to fill the gap in its next periodic report onwards and focus especially on specific action undertaken to implement the recommendations included below, and report on the progress made annually.) B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee notes with appreciation the efforts made by the State party in promoting the implementation of social, economic and cultural rights. The Committee welcomes in particular: GE.11-44127 (a) The adoption of the National Programme for Gender Equality for 2010-2015; (b) The inclusion in the Criminal Code of sexual harassment as a crime;