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Press Release
15 July 2024
Deadline extended - Call for applications open for the 6th edition of the UN Diversity Internship Program for persons belonging to marginalized groups
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Press Release
12 July 2024
UN projects world population to peak within this century
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Press Release
11 July 2024
State institutions advance the implementation of anti-racial discrimination measures
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Moldova
In September 2015, the Republic of Moldova, alongside with 192 Member States of the United Nations committed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future having at its heart the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030" (NDS) as well as the Government Action Plan ”Building a European Moldova” describe the short, medium and long-term strategic development vision of the country synchronizing the priorities, objectives, indicators and targets of international commitments taken by the Republic of Moldova, including the ones set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to the national context.
The Sustainable Development Goals are being monitored and evaluated by the United Nations Country Team through the Country Results Reports developed in coordination with the Government.
As of 2022, the Government has committed to monitor and report annually on the level of achievement of the SDGs in the country which allows the state to make necessary interventions to adjust and/or accelerate the pace of SDGs implementation.
Publication
12 July 2024
World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results
World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results adopts the analytical framework of the demographic transition—the historic shift towards longer lives and smaller families—approximated here by the timing at which populations peak in size, to explore differences in population trends that characterise countries and regions today and provide insight into their future trajectories. The report also offers policy recommendations to prepare countries for a population size, age structure and spatial distribution that may differ appreciably from that of their recent past. World Population Prospects 2024 is the twenty-eighth edition of the official United Nations population estimates and projections. It presents population estimates from the 1990s to the present for 237 countries or areas, underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends. The 2024 revision also presents population projections to the year 2100 that reflect a range of plausible outcomes at the global, regional and national levels.World Population Prospects 2024 Data Portal
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Publication
29 April 2024
Leveraging the Synergies of the EU Accession and the SDGs for the Sustainable Development of Moldova
The United Nations in Moldova, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the EU Delegation have mapped the synergies between the EU accession process and the SDGs under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the analysis, there is a strong complementarity and synergy between the EU accession agenda, the 2030 Agenda and SDGs as mutually reinforcing processes. The mapping shows that 128 SDG targets (76%) are connected to individual EU accession negotiation chapters or clusters. Moreover, out of 111 of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023–2027 indicators, 93% are linked to the policy recommendations from the 2023 European Commission (EC) report.
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Publication
02 July 2024
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 details the significant challenges the world is facing in making substantial strides towards achieving the SDGs based on the latest data and estimates. It features areas with setbacks while also showcasing where tangible progress has been made, for instance, in reducing global child mortality, preventing HIV infection, and access to energy and mobile broadband. The report also hhlights where action must accelerate, particularly in critical areas undermining SDG progress - climate change, peace and security, inequalities among and between countries, among others.According to the report, with just six years remaining, current progress falls far short of what is required to meet the SDGs. Without massive investment and scaled up action, the achievement of the SDGs — the blueprint for a more resilient and prosperous world and the roadmap out of current global crises — will remain elusive. The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, geopolitical tensions and growing climate chaos have severely hindered progress. The report details the urgent priorities and areas needed for stronger and more effective action to ensure the 2030 promise to end poverty, protect the planet and leave no one behind.
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Publication
05 June 2024
Assessment of knowledge gaps in the electoral field and level of civic engagement
The overall objective of the survey was to identify knowledge gaps and to assess the level of civic engagement of the population with a focus on certain vulnerable groups.The survey was based on a poll in a sample, which was national-level and representative of general adult population, covered all regions of Moldova and included both urban and rural residents; it was supplemented by two boost samples – those of persons with disabilities and Roma people. The focus group was adult population aged 18 or older, persons with disabilities and Roma people from 160 localities. A total of 1,507 respondents were interviewed face-to-face at home, including 1,158 persons representing general public and additionally 192 ethnic Roma and 157 persons with disabilities. Thus, the applied method was that of layered semi-probability sampling with four sampling steps. The error margin for a sample of this size representing general public is ± 3%. The information was gathered between 27 October and 30 December 2023.The survey also included a qualitative component. Six focus group discussions were held to this end with an average of 7.5 participants per group. The total number of focus group discussions participants was 45. The discussions were held with the groups of young people representing rural and urban residents, women, older people, people with disabilities, and Roma people.
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Publication
02 July 2024
Ukraine Situation - Moldova: Inter-Agency Operational Update (Quarter 1 - 2024)
The first quarter of 2024 witnessed important achievements regarding the overall situation of refugees from Ukraine in Moldova. On February 28, 2024, the Moldovan Government approved the extension of Temporary Protection (TP) until March 1, 2025. This decision addressed key advocacy points raised by the RRP sectors and partners in 2023, building upon the initial government decision from January 2023.
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Story
05 July 2024
"This financial aid is crucial for Ukrainian mothers. It provides security"
It has been almost four months since Tatiana, 28, gave birth to David and over two years since the young mother last saw her family from Donetsk, Ukraine. Tatiana was 18 when her native city was first hit by rockets in 2014. "The war started in the region where we live. We were the first to come under fire," the young woman recalls about the attacks in Ukraine, which began ten years ago. The harsh truth is that the violence of the war became part of Tatiana's and her younger sister's adolescence and childhood. "Missiles flew over us, and later, we got used to the war," says Tatiana.However, in 2022, no one believed that missile attacks would return to their lives." People lived peacefully. Surprisingly, one morning, the bombing began," the young woman recounts. She was not in Ukraine but had gone to work in Poland for a few months. Because of the war, Tatiana did not return home. "I had nowhere to go back to. Our city was destroyed. My house suffered significant damage. My father and sister remained in Donetsk," says Tatiana. In October 2022, Tatiana sought refuge in Moldova at her future husband's house, in Pelinia village, Drochia district.Tatiana got a job as a social worker in a refugee centre, where she organized activities for Ukrainian children. This opportunity made her feel useful and integrated into the community. Later, she found out she was pregnant. "I tried to read less news, to work, and hope everything would be okay," says Tatiana, who gave birth to a boy at the Clinical Hospital in Balti, receiving all the support she needed from the health workers. "I was worried about how the birth process would be, but everything went well. The health workers treated us very well. I was constantly under the supervision of doctors, benefiting from their consultations and advice without being asked to pay for any services," Tatiana recounts.With the escalation of the war in Ukraine, UNICEF supported the authorities to ensure that all families with refugee children, including pregnant women, have the same access to primary medical services and social protection services, as Moldovan families do. Following this intervention, more than 200 refugee families benefited from national social protection programmes. With the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and through the National Social Insurance House, UNICEF provided a one-time birth allowance of 10,000 MDL and a monthly childcare allowance of 1,000 MDL to all mothers from Ukraine who fled the war. Later, in 2024, the amount of the one-time birth allowance was doubled, and all mothers from Ukraine received unique support of 20,000 MDL at birth.Tatiana is among the refugee mothers who received this assistance. "I found out about the financial aid from news and through friends. It is quite a large amount, given our expenses for raising the child. We haven't managed to spend it yet, but this money will be very useful because the boy is growing up quickly, and we need clothes and diapers. This financial aid for mothers from Ukraine is crucial. It provides security. Prices are extremely high. Many mothers do not have money for food, rent, etc.," says Tatiana, holding David in her arms.The young mother hopes that soon she will return home to reunite with her family, but not permanently. The war has left too many deep traumas, and she only wants a peaceful sky for her son. "I don't want him to see these bombings, destroyed houses. At 18, my hair turned grey. I want a better life for him," says Tatiana.Since the beginning of the war, around 120,000 Ukrainians have found safety in Moldova, including more than 52,000 children.
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Story
04 July 2024
Storytelling and fairy tales to improve Ukrainian children's mental health and promote socialization
The story of Anastasia, a Ukrainian refugee, and her intuition and determination to run an educational centre in Chisinau, with IOM support, to enhance the mental health of Ukrainian children and foster their social relationships through storytelling and fairy tales, tailored to their needs.Anastasia, 37, is originally from Mykolaiv, Ukraine, one of the cities hardly hit by Russian bombs at the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.In the first hours of the attack, Anastasia was at home with her two children, Polina, 11, and Vladimir, 7. She heard the loud blasts and immediately took the decision to look for a safe place nearby, hoping for the end of that nightmare.Yet, the days passed. The shelter, lacking water and electricity, protected her children from the explosions but not from their fears. After two weeks, at night, in the darkness of the shelter and in a sky lit by explosions, Polina approached her mother and whispered in her ear: "take me and Vladimir to a safer place".The next morning, Anastasia, Polina and Vladimir fled Ukraine to the Republic of Moldova. They went directly to Chisinau where a relative who lived in the capital opened the door of her apartment to host them.
“We stayed there for a month. Then I decided to rent an apartment for myself and bring my mother and dog from Ukraine. A place was offered to us at a very advantageous price after the owner learned about our story. He is a Moldovan man and was very kind to us.”Anastasia's story is one of courage, determination, intuition and resilience.A month after arriving in Moldova, she found a job as a music teacher in a centre for Ukrainian refugees, drawing on her 30 years of experience as a pianist.Her work mainly involved helping Ukrainian children in need of mental health support. During the lessons, some of them were aggressive, others hid under the tables or were unable to socialize with the other children.One day, a colleague asked Anastasia to use storytelling as a tool to help relieve the children and their parents’ traumas.“It was an extraordinary experience that gave me so much. When we started with storytelling, our goal was mainly to speak Ukrainian with the children and tell them about Ukrainian folklore. The impact of storytelling on children went beyond all expectations and I realized that I could do much more.”Recognizing the power of storytelling and her own professional experience with children since she lived in Ukraine, Anastasia decided to found an educational centre in Chisinau called Soulmate.The first challenge she faced was finding a suitable place in the city with a rental cost she could afford. Starting over in a new country, she also had to cover the costs of equipping the centre with furniture, decoration, and materials for activities. Despite the difficulties, she managed to open Soulmate.This was when Anastasia learned about IOM’s small business grants scheme for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, implemented under the project “Ukraine Response to support refugees from Ukraine across Europe”, funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).After submitting a proposal to IOM, she was awarded a small grant in May 2024 to support her with the costs of improving and growing her business, recognizing its potential impact for Ukrainian refugees and their hosting community. This allowed her to expand the activities offered at Soulmate and reach a larger number of children and parents.
“I took the risk, and I made it.”Today, Soulmate offers music courses for children, where they learn to play the piano, ukulele and guitar. An English club for Ukrainian teenagers was founded with the assistance of Peace Corps volunteers, and transformative games were created by a Ukrainian psychologist. Anastasia manages the Centre and continues her work with storytelling.“I started writing my first fairy tales on Mother's Day. Sometimes, during the lessons, we discuss these fairy tales with colleagues and change the theme based on the children's behaviours and emotions, so that the stories are more suited to their needs.”
Anastasia and her team have already created 20 original stories. As they share them during the lessons, they observe the children’s expressions and reactions to understand how the stories influence their relationships with others."Sometimes children don't understand what is good and what is bad, and through these fairy tales they learn to build relationships and respect each other."Although the lessons at Soulmate are not in Romanian, Moldovan children have been recently starting to attend them, as parents who speak Ukrainian have volunteered to translate.“Ukrainian and Moldovan children have similar wishes, that is to socialize, carry out relaxing activities, and receive emotional support. They are very close to each other."Anastasia thinks big and makes it happen. For the next few months, the Centre is also organizing a summer camp, where children will also be able to write their own fairy tales.No doubts: “We will print the book with their fairy tales."***
Soulmate is one of the 28 small businesses owned by Ukrainian refugees and Moldovans which received an IOM small business grant thanks to the generous financial support of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), within the “Ukraine Response to support refugees from Ukraine across Europe” project.
“We stayed there for a month. Then I decided to rent an apartment for myself and bring my mother and dog from Ukraine. A place was offered to us at a very advantageous price after the owner learned about our story. He is a Moldovan man and was very kind to us.”Anastasia's story is one of courage, determination, intuition and resilience.A month after arriving in Moldova, she found a job as a music teacher in a centre for Ukrainian refugees, drawing on her 30 years of experience as a pianist.Her work mainly involved helping Ukrainian children in need of mental health support. During the lessons, some of them were aggressive, others hid under the tables or were unable to socialize with the other children.One day, a colleague asked Anastasia to use storytelling as a tool to help relieve the children and their parents’ traumas.“It was an extraordinary experience that gave me so much. When we started with storytelling, our goal was mainly to speak Ukrainian with the children and tell them about Ukrainian folklore. The impact of storytelling on children went beyond all expectations and I realized that I could do much more.”Recognizing the power of storytelling and her own professional experience with children since she lived in Ukraine, Anastasia decided to found an educational centre in Chisinau called Soulmate.The first challenge she faced was finding a suitable place in the city with a rental cost she could afford. Starting over in a new country, she also had to cover the costs of equipping the centre with furniture, decoration, and materials for activities. Despite the difficulties, she managed to open Soulmate.This was when Anastasia learned about IOM’s small business grants scheme for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, implemented under the project “Ukraine Response to support refugees from Ukraine across Europe”, funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).After submitting a proposal to IOM, she was awarded a small grant in May 2024 to support her with the costs of improving and growing her business, recognizing its potential impact for Ukrainian refugees and their hosting community. This allowed her to expand the activities offered at Soulmate and reach a larger number of children and parents.
“I took the risk, and I made it.”Today, Soulmate offers music courses for children, where they learn to play the piano, ukulele and guitar. An English club for Ukrainian teenagers was founded with the assistance of Peace Corps volunteers, and transformative games were created by a Ukrainian psychologist. Anastasia manages the Centre and continues her work with storytelling.“I started writing my first fairy tales on Mother's Day. Sometimes, during the lessons, we discuss these fairy tales with colleagues and change the theme based on the children's behaviours and emotions, so that the stories are more suited to their needs.”
Anastasia and her team have already created 20 original stories. As they share them during the lessons, they observe the children’s expressions and reactions to understand how the stories influence their relationships with others."Sometimes children don't understand what is good and what is bad, and through these fairy tales they learn to build relationships and respect each other."Although the lessons at Soulmate are not in Romanian, Moldovan children have been recently starting to attend them, as parents who speak Ukrainian have volunteered to translate.“Ukrainian and Moldovan children have similar wishes, that is to socialize, carry out relaxing activities, and receive emotional support. They are very close to each other."Anastasia thinks big and makes it happen. For the next few months, the Centre is also organizing a summer camp, where children will also be able to write their own fairy tales.No doubts: “We will print the book with their fairy tales."***
Soulmate is one of the 28 small businesses owned by Ukrainian refugees and Moldovans which received an IOM small business grant thanks to the generous financial support of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), within the “Ukraine Response to support refugees from Ukraine across Europe” project.
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Story
04 July 2024
Support for animals means support for families in the Republic of Moldova
Spouses Mihail and Vera Gradinaru were born and grew up in Cirpesti, a village situated about 120 kilometers away from the capital of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau. Set amidst land for cultivating and pastures for grazing, this village of just about 600 households is one where families predominantly rely on farming or raising cattle. After knowing each other for many years, Mihail and Vera got married and now have five children. Both parents work in the village, Vera as a kindergarten teacher’s assistant and Mihail as a farmer. Cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry fill up the backyard of their house.The Gradinarus’ youngest daughter, Livia, still lives with them, as does their daughter, Alina, who just recently had a baby, and whose husband is temporarily working abroad.It is a full house, but both Vera and Mihail are used to this, having grown up with many siblings themselves. And the spouses are determined to give their children schooling and the option of obtaining the type of job they want to do.“We couldn't afford studies. I come from a family with eleven children, while my wife was one of four. We had to start working from a young age. Nobody really asked us what we wanted to do in life. That's why we try to help our children as much as we can, so that at least they have a profession and can get by easier, either in the village, or wherever their destiny takes them,” describes Mihail.Mihail on the other hand continues the work that his parents did and is content keeping livestock. “We have always had animals, this is what our parents did, this is what we do,” explains Mihail. He and Vera are particularly tied to their two cows: Marta and Stella. As the spouses say, these cows are the family’s greatest support. They are vital for their family’s nutrition, and the milk also serves as payment for helpers who work on their farm or house.“May our cattle be healthy! Otherwise, how are we going to manage?” Mihail exclaims.In 2022, the country faced an extreme drought that led to 50- 60 percent losses in some of their major agricultural products like sunflower, corn and wheat. With this loss of income and increased input prices, families with animals couldn’t buy the necessary animal feed. In response, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) distributed cattle fodder to 2 638 families across five districts in 2023. Each family received between 350 and 375 kg of fodder, which was vital in addressing existing feed shortages.The activity is part of a project implemented jointly with the United Nations Development Programme, and financed by the Austrian Development Agency — the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation — and the Government of Switzerland.According to the estimates of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, 70 percent of the country’s small farms were already suffering from a lack of resources, inputs and arid weather conditions, and the war in Ukraine further impacted the prices of agricultural inputs, most of which the Republic of Moldova imports from Russian and the Ukraine. Fertilizers, fuel and seeds became three to five times more expensive than in 2021. Life’s challengesAmidst these challenges, Mihail also had to undergo several spinal surgeries. Although he is full of energy and enthusiasm, his mobility is reduced, and he can no longer do all the physical labour he once did.“Before the surgeries I also used to work in the forest, providing my family with wood. Now I am content only with what I can do around the house and with the cattle in the pasture.”The FAO support for their animals was a huge assistance for the family. “Animals, like children, have their own expense.... And when you can hardly provide bread for your children, it’s obviously even harder to buy animal feed,” describes Vera.With the fodder donation, Mihail and Vera can use some of the money saved to take care of other vital expenses. For some time, the family had been struggling to repair the leaky roof of the old house in which they live. They used the extra cash they saved on fodder to pay for construction materials and repay some of the debts they have due to the house repairs.“It’s the first time we get animal feed. You know, it helps a lot,” adds Vera.In early 2024, funding from the Government of Japan allowed FAO to distribute animal fodder to an additional 2 950 livestock herders. By early 2025, with the funds provided by the Austrian Development Cooperation and Switzerland, FAO will secure animal feed for another 4 880 families that depend on their cattle. This ensures complete animal feed coverage for all the drought-affected southern districts of the Republic of Moldova. FAO is also supplying rural communities with essential agricultural resources, such as alfalfa seeds to grow for feed and vegetable seed kits. These resources, along with establishing 15 Farmer Fields Schools that teach climate-smart vegetable production, will help families be more resilient to drought and other extreme climate events.Throughout 2023, the cost of imported agricultural inputs remained very high, resulting in high production costs. At the same time, prices of agricultural goods dropped dramatically throughout the year. This has resulted in a 30 percent decrease in revenue for rural families compared to the last five-year average.
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Story
28 June 2024
"Micul Odoraș"--Meet Mariana Grigorenco, the force behind the first home-based daycare for small children in Moldova
She has experience working with children with special needs, including autism and various disabilities. She loves being around children, and when she learned about the possibility of receiving support from the ILO to set up a family-type daycare at home, she didn't hesitate and signed up. With support from the partners at the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Moldova (AFAM), Mariana went through all the training stages and obtained the necessary certificates to launch this alternative service. She cleared out one of the four rooms in her house, renovated it, and furnished it with beds and cabinets for children, transforming it into "Micul Odoraș" or „Little Treasures” in Romanian–the first alternative family-type daycare at the caregiver's home in the town of Bălți and in the entire Republic of Moldova. This initiative was made possible thanks to the National Programme on Care Services for Children Under Three, implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. The lack of a sufficient number of affordable early education and care services for children is a major obstacle to women's employment in Moldova, where the participation rate in early education and care services for children aged 0 to 2 years was 10 percent in 2021/22, compared to the EU27 average of 32 percent. Expanding alternative care services will allow mothers to return to work whenever they wish, and Mariana, along with 26 other participants in the ILO and AFAM project, has become the entrepreneur of her own business. Childcare services offer numerous benefits for women, by increasing their income upon returning to work and for families, by reducing unpaid care work by parents; and for the country's economy, by creating new jobs. According to legislation, it is permitted to form groups of up to 5 children or 3 if one of them has disabilities. Still, Mariana says she will initially accept only three children in the space arranged for them. The children in her care are under two years old and. In the first week, they stayed for one or two hours to adjust more easily. This is also her guiding motto:”„Gentle accommodation, without stress and tears”. Parents have a harder time adjusting than the children," Mariana says with a smile. After the adjustment period, the children will stay here all day, from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, while their parents can go to work without worry. "I have a plan of activities for each day, but the main activity at this age is free play. I will guide the children in their play and involve them in creative activities appropriate for their age. I have set up a space for sand and water play, which will help in their development, while their mothers return to work and continue to progress in their fields," Mariana says enthusiastically.Mariana's passion for working with children comes from her family. Her grandmother was a nursery educator, and her aunt and cousin are teachers. "Many children knew what they wanted to be when they grow up. I had no desires or plans, but in the neighbourhood, I organized all sorts of activities and loved involving all the children.""Micul Odoraș" is not just a play space but, more importantly, a space for development Since she also has qualifications in speech therapy, Mariana's daycare focuses on children with speech development deficiencies. Her professional journey and the launch of the daycare were not accidental, she says. Her younger son, who is now 12 years old, suffers from asthma, and she often had to stay at home with him. To be with him as much as possible without giving up the profession she loves so much, Mariana started working from home, especially during the pandemic, teaching English, Romanian, or various other developmental activities to children with special needs. From there, it was just a step to "Micul Odoraș."Obtaining the necessary certificates for launching this service and setting up the space took six months. During this time, Mariana, along with 26 other men and women, participated in training workshops organized by the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Moldova, with support from the ILO. Experts involved in the Programme developed a detailed guide explaining the legal provisions and steps for launching this type of alternative childcare service for children under three years old and mentored participants in obtaining the license and certificates. It was not difficult for her to form the group of children, but she acknowledges that many parents are skeptical about these alternative services and prefer nannies or private kindergartens. "Parents who enrolled their children in Micul Odoraș have lived abroad and seen how such services work there, and they trusted us," Mariana explains.The family-type daycare is a new type of alternative care service, regulated by a new law of alternative childcare services. The "Micul Odoraș" daycare was launched in the framework of a partnership between the ILO and the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Moldova (AFAM), with financial support from Sweden. The International Labour Organization estimates that investment in childcare services could generate over 116,000 jobs in Moldova by 2030, including about 29,000 direct jobs in childcare, over 69,000 direct jobs in long-term care, and nearly 19,000 indirect jobs, such as cleaning and cooking, in non-care sectors.
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Story
28 June 2024
Bogdana, survivor of violence: "Cash assistance saved my life"
Over the past two years, more than 300 girls and women from Moldova and refugees from Ukraine, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), have enjoyed comprehensive assistance and financial support within the Violence Case Management Program, piloted by UNFPA, which helped them overcome situations of abuse and build a new life.Bogdana*, a citizen of Ukraine, is one of these women. Arriving in the Republic of Moldova because of the war, she found refuge in her in-laws' house, but the peace did not last long, because her husband kicked her out of the apartment during the winter, even with the child."The war made me feel even more helpless. I went through many hard moments, beatings, swearing, humiliation. An acquaintance advised me to go to the Community Center, where I was helped and included in a special program for women in my situation," she told us.The Violence Case Management Program is a complex support mechanism for women victims of violence who need a lifeline to continue their lives in difficult circumstances and lay the foundations for a safer future. Developed by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with A.O. "Artemida" and in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, this Program has several essential components, which ensure the complex rehabilitation of victims and help them escape abuse. An essential element in this process is financial aid, which is often the lifeline for women."Thanks to this financial aid, I was able to move to Chisinau for oncological medical investigations and undergo treatment, and with part of the money I rented a room where I now stay with my child."Financial assistance in violence case management has a beneficial effect on survivors' health, safety and access to violence prevention services. This is only part of a larger process that includes case identification, needs assessment, intervention planning, referral to other services, case monitoring and supervision.Silvia*, another survivor of violence, endured several acts of cruelty during her marriage: "Following the last act of violence, my hand was fractured and I had to borrow money to have an operation in Chisinau. Thanks to this Program in which I was included, I received free legal assistance and psychological counseling, and with the help of financial support, I had the opportunity to undergo several rehabilitation procedures at a hospital in the capital, pay for my transport and have a life independent with my child", says the woman.The granting of financial aid is based on the assessment of the real needs of each person and is carried out by bank transfer. Assistance is provided either as an emergency for immediate needs or in installments, depending on the duration of the need for support.“Cash assistance gives women the freedom to choose. Women's lives and well-being are put at risk in the absence of options, especially in crisis situations. This is especially true for women who already face heightened risks of violence. Interventions empower vulnerable women to use the money they give as part of an integrated, survivor-centred approach. Cash allows for flexibility, it provides crucial support to vulnerable groups in a more flexible, tailored and discreet way than other types of assistance," said Violeta Terguță, GBV Program Analyst at UNFPA."Financial support is vital help for victims of violence, giving them the support and resources they need to overcome trauma and regain control of their lives. By facilitating access to specialized counseling, safe shelters and legal assistance, we significantly contribute to the empowerment of affected women, allowing them to rebuild a safer and more independent future", said Simion Sîrbu, Director of A.O. "Artemida".Cash assistance for survivors of gender-based violence is a crucial element in the management of cases of violence and is being implemented in the Republic of Moldova from 2023, as part of a pilot program carried out by A.O. "Artemida" in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, and is part of the UNFPA support offered to the Government of the Republic of Moldova, in response to the refugee crisis.*Names have been changed to protect identity.
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Press Release
28 June 2024
Deadline extended - Call for applications open for the 6th edition of the UN Diversity Internship Program for persons belonging to marginalized groups
The announced UN Diversity Internship Program comes as an effort to enable people belonging to groups vulnerable to discrimination to acquire necessary skills for further employment opportunities. Under this program, women, men, and persons of diverse gender identities from marginalized groups will be provided an opportunity to undergo four to six months of internship within UN Agencies present in Moldova and acquire experience in relevant areas of UN’s work. The candidates are expected to be selected through a competitive process, based on submitted applications.All interested candidates from marginalized groups, including but not limited to persons with disabilities; ethnic, linguistic, or religious minorities, including ethnic Gagauzians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Roma, Jews, Muslims, and people of African descent; people living with HIV; religious minorities; LGBTQI+, shall have the following basic application package for further online submission via links provided below:Letter of motivation / intention, explaining why the applicant seeks a particular internship position (which shall be specifically named) and how it can help them build further their career and/or advance personal development objectives. In the letter, the applicant shall refer to their affiliation to a particular marginalized group and any eventual difficulties encountered in employment or studies because of the specific affiliation;Curriculum Vitae including a brief description of candidate’s studies and previous relevant experience. Please include information of any needs for any adjustments necessary at the internship venue and workstation;Reference Letter from non-governmental organizations representing the interests of people from marginalized communities (is much appreciated, if possible, to be presented). Additional information or application documents may be requested for some of the announced internship positions, as per the requirements of the online application system and / or respective Terms of Reference. The documents need to be submitted in Romanian, or Russian, or English languages, as required in the respective job advertisement.A person can apply for one or more announced internship positions. Deadline for submission of applications – 22 July 2024Applications will be reviewed by an Evaluation Panel, composed of representatives from the relevant UN agencies, and all short-listed candidates will be contacted within the following two weeks for an eventual interview. APPLY FOR THE UN DIVERSITY INTERNSHIP POSITIONS TO THE FOLLOWING LINKS:UNICEF_Operations Intern. For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach the HR Unit via email: chisinau@unicef.org UN Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNICEF_ Programme Management (hosted by two agencies). For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach OHCHR or UNICEF via email: ohchr-moldova@un.org or chisinau@unicef.org UNDP_ Administrative and Logistical Support. For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach UNDP via email: hr.md@undp.org UNAIDS_ HIV Prevention Intern. For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach UNAIDS via email: plamadeala@unaids.org UNFPA_ Internal Program and Communication Assistant. For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach UNFPA Moldova team via email: manascurta@unfpa.org UN WOMEN_ EVAW Program Support. For any questions or technical assistance, you can reach UN WOMEN via email: ana.puscasu@unwomen.org
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Press Release
12 July 2024
UN projects world population to peak within this century
New York, 11 July –According to the World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results published today, it is expected that the world’s population will peak in the mid-2080s, growing over the next sixty years from 8.2 billion people in 2024 to around 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s, and then will return to around 10.2 billion by the end of the century. The size of the world’s population in 2100 is now expected to be six per cent lower—or 700 million fewer—than anticipated a decade ago. “The demographic landscape has evolved greatly in recent years," said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs. "In some countries, the birth rate is now even lower than previously anticipated, and we are also seeing slightly faster declines in some high-fertility regions. The earlier and lower peak is a hopeful sign. This could mean reduced environmental pressures from human impacts due to lower aggregate consumption. However, slower population growth will not eliminate the need to reduce the average impact attributable to the activities of each individual person.” The earlier population peak is due to several factors, including lower levels of fertility in some of the world’s largest countries, especially China. Globally, women are having one child fewer, on average, than they did around 1990. In more than half of all countries and areas, the average number of live births per woman is below 2.1—the level required for a population to maintain a constant size over the long term without migration—and nearly a fifth of all countries and areas, including China, Italy, the Republic of Korea and Spain, now have “ultra-low” fertility, with fewer than 1.4 live births per woman over a lifetime. As of 2024, population size has peaked in 63 countries and areas, including China, Germany, Japan and the Russian Federation, and the total population of this group is projected to decline by 14 per cent over the next thirty years. For another 48 countries and areas, including Brazil, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Türkiye and Viet Nam, the population is projected to peak between 2025 and 2054. In the remaining 126 countries, including India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America, the population is expected to increase through 2054 and, potentially, to peak in the second half of the century or later. In nine countries of this last group, including Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Somalia, very rapid growth is projected, with their total population doubling between 2024 and 2054. Early pregnancies remain a challenge, particularly in low-income countries. In 2024, 4.7 million babies, or about 3.5 per cent of the total worldwide, were born to mothers under age 18. Of these, some 340,000 were born to children under age 15, with serious consequences for the health and well-being of both the young mothers and their children. The report finds that investing in the education of young people, especially girls, and increasing the ages of marriage and first childbearing in countries where these have an early onset will have positive outcomes for women’s health, educational attainment and labour force participation. These efforts will also contribute to slowing population growth and reducing the scale of the investments required to achieve sustainable development while ensuring that no one is left behind. Over the past three decades, mortality rates have decreased and life expectancy has increased significantly. After a brief decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, global life expectancy at birth is rising again, reaching 73.3 years in 2024, up from 70.9 years during the pandemic. By the late 2050s, more than half of all global deaths will occur at age 80 or higher, a substantial increase from 17 per cent in 1995. By the late 2070s, the number of persons aged 65 years or older is projected to surpass the number of children (under age 18), while the number of persons at ages 80 and higher is projected to be larger than the number of infants (under age 1) already by the mid-2030s. Even in countries that are still growing rapidly and have relatively youthful populations, the number of persons aged 65 or older is expected to rise over the next 30 years. All materials related to the World Population Prospects 2024, including the summary report and the complete dataset, are available at population.un.org. Hashtag: #UNPopulation, #PeopleOfTomorrow and #GlobalGoals Media Contacts: Sharon Birch |UN Department of Global Communications | E: birchs@un.org Helen Daun Rosengren |UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: rosengrenh@un.org Karoline Schmid | UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | E: schmidk@un.org
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Press Release
11 July 2024
State institutions advance the implementation of anti-racial discrimination measures
The meeting focused on discussing the Concluding Observations issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in April 2024, regarding the combined periodic reports 12-14 of the Republic of Moldova. In her opening remarks, Valentina Olaru, State Secretary at the MER, emphasized the significance of this process: "The recommendations addressed to the Government of the Republic of Moldova by CERD are crucial for aligning our national policies with international human rights standards. They provide a clear framework for combating racial discrimination and promoting equality. They enable us to assess and improve our legislation and practices, ensuring all individuals, regardless of race, color, or ethnicity, enjoy equal rights and full protection."The meeting was attended by Commission members from state institutions, the People's Advocate Office, the Council for Equality, and civil society representatives, including the National Association of Community Mediators, Roma Voice Coalition, Roma Ethnographic Association, Porojan Association, Amnesty International, Initiativa Pozitiva, Minority Youth Moldova, National Congress of Ukrainians in Moldova, Charity Center for Refugees, ACOPERI, and CCE KEDEM.Iulia Votslava, Human Rights Officer at OHCHR, highlighted the importance of inter-institutional cooperation for effectively implementing CERD recommendations and reiterated the organization's support: "Given the recommendations, it's clear that a cross-sectoral approach is vital. We welcome the fact that at this meeting, in addition to the members of the Specialized Commission, representatives of civil society are also present, as civil society, through its non-governmental organizations and activists, are partners with high expertise potential. The UN Office for Human Rights is ready to provide technical assistance and expertise to the state in the implementation of the CERD recommendations."Participants explored the actions necessary for an efficient implementation of the recommendations. They also identified the state institutions responsible for implementing these recommendations and the partner institutions in this process.In the next steps, the Commission, with the support of the UN Office for Human Rights, will create an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations. This plan will include the necessary actions, policy documents integrating the recommendations or intended to integrate measures for their implementation, the resources required for implementation, and the associated costs. Additionally, those present at the meeting suggested establishing monitoring indicators for the action plan, and the Ministry of Education and Research will coordinate the implementation and monitoring of this plan.The Commission, led by the Ministry of Education and Research and consisting of representatives from various institutions, aims to efficiently implement the necessary strategies to combat racial discrimination in the Republic of Moldova over the next 4 years, until the next reporting by the Republic of Moldova on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.Support for improving the implementation of international recommendations is provided by OHCHR within the project "Strengthening the rights of minorities in the Republic of Moldova" funded by the EU. This project addresses key challenges faced by minorities in Moldova, focusing on improving the implementation of international recommendations, increasing the participation of minorities in public life, and improving the inclusion of data on minorities in official statistics. Republic of Moldova ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on January 26, 1993, committing to implementing the treaty and the recommendations issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The ratification of this Convention represented significant progress in ensuring the rule of law in the Republic of Moldova, and its implementation provides a guarantee for maintaining equality before the law, offering equal protection against discriminatory actions, and combating racial barriers for the harmonious coexistence of all individuals in a state.***The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries. It is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It acts globally to promote sustainable development of societies, environment and economies, so that everyone can benefit.For more information about the EU activities in Republic of Moldova, please visit https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kazakhstan_enDelegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova | EEAS (europa.eu) (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/moldova_en?s=223) UN Human Rights in Moldova assists the UN Country Team in Moldova, the authorities, the judiciary, the parliament, national human rights institutions and civil society through technical advice and capacity building activities to protect, respect, fulfill and mainstream human rights in the country. For more information about OHCHR Moldova please visit Republic of Moldova | OHCHR (https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/moldova)
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Press Release
15 July 2024
The 2024 Population and Housing Census has ended. First results and impressions after data collection
The event brought together more than 100 participants, development partners, representatives from central and local government, academia and science, civil society, census staff and the media.Therefore, the main results and findings of the census were presented during the finalization event, as well as the success stories and solid partnerships created during the 3 months of the census.According to preliminary data, during the period April 8 - July 7, 2024, in the Population and Housing Census were enumerated 2448 thousand persons including both persons with usual residence and persons without usual residence in the Republic of Moldova, and 1655 thousand dwellings including occupied, secondary, and unoccupied.At the beginning of the event, Artur MIJA, Secretary General of the Government and Chairman of the National Commission for Population and Housing Census thanked the population of the country and all those who contributed to the success of this exercise: "The finalization of the census is, in fact, a starting point for the development of our communities based on the updated information provided by the citizens. The data obtained will help us better design infrastructure, modernize education, improve health and social services, and make decisions based on people's needs. The direct benefits of the Census will be seen over time in the fair and efficient distribution of budget funds, improved policies and better planning and execution of resources. The government is building European Moldova and the information provided by the Census will guide us in everything we do to improve the lives of our citizens," said Artur Mija.Oleg CARA, General Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, noted that 2024 is the last year in the round of censuses that are being conducted internationally and the census methodology has been adapted to new requirements, including new information technologies and new methodologies that are being applied in highly developed countries."The census is the first stage of the implementation of the Census of Population and Housing in which data was collected from the population. The second important stage follows, which involves the use of administrative and private data to supplement the data obtained during the census and based on the data processing to produce and disseminate population and housing data necessary for the development of the country." Oleg Cara said.In his turn, Jan DEMIDOVITS-MEKELAINEN, Program Officer for Regional Development, Tourism and Statistics of the Delegation of the European Union, said that the Census data are crucial for the process of Moldova's integration into the EU."The European Union has been and will continue to be a strategic partner for the Republic of Moldova. In the context of the 2024 Census, we have provided substantial support to ensure the conduct of this crucial process. This support included technical assistance, funding, and expertise to implement modern methodologies and advanced technologies to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data collected. Conducting a census that complies with international standards and EU requirements is crucial. This not only guarantees international comparability of data, but also ensures that the information collected is reliable and relevant for the development of effective public policies. Meeting these standards is essential to be able to integrate Moldova into the European statistical community and to support the process of moving closer to the European Union. In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the Republic of Moldova on the success of the 2024 census and reaffirm the European Union's commitment to support Moldova's efforts to develop evidence-based policies and to comply with international standards in all aspects of governance." said Jan Demidovits-Mekekelainen.Natalia PLUGARU, UNFPA Moldova's Deputy Representative said how important it is to know the characteristics of the population to ensure a prosperous and equitable future for everyone. "UNFPA, together with the entire UN family, has been a reliable partner of the National Bureau of Statistics in carrying out this census. Our support has included technical and financial assistance as well as international expertise to ensure the successful conduct of this complex process. We have been with the NBS at all stages - from planning and implementation to data collection, and we will continue to support them, because data-driven policies are policies for people, and UNFPA works to ensure that no one is left behind and has access to equal services and equal opportunities." UNFPA Moldova Deputy Representative said.At the end of the event, census enumerators, temporary census staff shared from their own experiences and success stories in the data collection process.Also, during the event, the NBS announced that it will be conducting the Post Census Survey from July 15 to August 11, 2024, which aims to evaluate the census work, including estimating the coverage and data content errors.The first results (preliminary data) of the census are to be disseminated at the end of 2024.This is the 3rd census since Moldova's declaration of independence._________________The Population and Housing Census has received support from the European Union and UNFPA Moldova in the framework of the project "Support to the National Bureau of Statistics in conducting the 2024 Population and Housing Census." The total value of the project is 2 million 75 thousand EUR, of which 2 million are provided by the EU and 75 thousand EUR from UNFPA.
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Press Release
06 July 2024
UN General Assembly President, Mr. Dennis Francis, to undertake official visit to the Republic of Moldova
While in Chişinău, the PGA will hold separate bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Mr. Dorin Recean as well as with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Mihai Popşoi, to exchange views on global and regional issues, and the role of the General Assembly in uniting the international community.In addition, the PGA will undertake a field visit to the Mother and Child Institute Hospital and Refugee Center.The PGA’s visit to the Republic of Moldova comes on the heels of his historic official visit to Ukraine, where he expressed the UN’s support and unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and to the Republic of Latvia, where he met with senior Government officials and participated in a panel discussion on the role of small States in the UN, as part of the LAMPA conversation festival.Throughout the region, the PGA is discussing the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, its impact across the region, and underscoring the importance of multilateral engagement amid regional conflict and instability. The PGA is also stressing the need for a reinvigorated United Nations capable of addressing today’s many complex and interlocking challenges, from peace and security to climate change to good governance.The PGA’s delegation includes his Chef de Cabinet, a Senior Adviser on Peace and Security, Political Affairs, and a Communications Adviser.Travel costs for the visit are jointly covered by the OPGA’s Trust Fund and the Government of the Republic of Moldova. For media inquiries and further information, please contact:Katherine Stephan, Communications Adviser, travelling with President Francis: stephank@un.orgCarolina Nazzaro, Media Relations Adviser: carolina.nazzaro@un.org; + 1 917 892-2751
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