National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology of the Republic of Moldova

The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) assigned the short national number 116111, children helpline, to JSC „Moldtelecom”, upon the company’s request. The number was assigned for the timeframe June 1, 2014 – December 31, 2016 and the service will be launched on June 1, 2016. This number is the first of the three short national numbers of social value harmonized across EU (116000, 116111 and 116123), which ANRCETI previously made available for assignment.

The children helpline 116111 will offer assistance to children in need of protection and will refer their cases to different organizations and resources; will offer them the possibility to express their fears, to speak about the aspects directly affecting them and contact someone in case of emergency.

JSC „Moldtelecom” will offer access to 116111 and the technical solution to the Ministry of labor, Social Protection and Family for the implementation of the free Children Helpline Service 116111. The Ministry contracted, as counseling service provider, the NGO International Center for Women Rights Protection and Promotion “La Strada”, which manages the hotline 080088008 for people suffering from domestic violence for more than four years.

The aim of the service is to enhance the protection of children by providing direct and free access to psycho-emotional counseling and informing children about their rights and ways to defend them. Where necessary, the team of advisors to the NGO "La Strada" will redirect calls for assistance and consultation, to central public authorities, local social assistance and family protection authorities, education departments, police, medical institutions and guardianship authorities local.

Calls to 116111 will be free for all users from any fixed and/or mobile network, the access to this number will be subject to a prior appointment. The service will be provided in non-stop, 7 days a week. Nighttime calls will be diverted to a mobile phone number of a counselor on duty.

Number 116111 is a pan-European number and is used for children helpline service in all the 28 European Union member states. The principle "same number = same service" in EU Member States provides easy access to a particular social service, this always being made by means of the same national number, regardless of where the call is originated. In this way, EU citizens know that the same number allows access to the same service in every EU Member State.

May 28, 2014