United Nations in Moldova

The UN in Moldova remains a key partner in supporting Moldova’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nationalization and implementation process. The Government has committed to achieving the SDGs, and with the support of the UN, the Moldovan State Chancellery conducted extended external consultations regarding the 2030 Agenda and its application to the local context. The SDGs nationalization report “Adapting the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development to the context of the Republic of Moldova” was presented to the Coordination Council for Sustainable Development and endorsed by its members on 4 July 2017.

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Press Release

27 May 2021

UN Moldova Country Results Report 2020 - key results and lessons learned

UN Moldova launched its Country Results Report for 2020. The document as well identifies the key constraints and lessons learned in the process of implementing The Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development 2018–2022 (PFSD) and provides an overview of what our priorities and ambitions are for 2021. According to the report, in 2020 the United Nations in Moldova continued to support the country in the implementation of its development priorities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making progress in all four strategic directions of its work by: advancing human rights and gender equality and strengthening institutional and governance capacities; improving access to decent work and enhancing local services and infrastructure; improving the quality of education, health services and social assistance; promoting climate change-resilient development. The United Nations made an important contribution to the national COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, supporting the country in strengthening the health system to address the effects of the pandemic and also ensuring the continuity of education and social services, while providing direct assistance to some of the most vulnerable population groups. Additionally, in 2020 the UN Country Team provided support to the government in the preparation of its first Voluntary National Review on the progress made in the implementation of the SDGs and offered assistance in the revision of the draft National Development Strategy Moldova 2030, which, once signed into law, will serve as a framework for the development of the country until 2030. There were secured over $27 million in resources for the implementation of its joint workplans for 2020, out of which 73.4% were implemented, with the remainder being rolled over to 2021. The effective implementation of the UN PFSD 2018–2022 and the COVID-19 SERP will remain a priority for the United Nations in 2021, as will the efforts to improve coherence, effectiveness and efficiency in programme implementation, operations and communication. In addition, in 2021 the UNCT will turn its attention towards the development of its next cooperation framework, which will set the directions for the work of the United Nations in the country for the next five years starting with 2023. Note: Currently, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) is composed of representatives of 24 United Nations funds and programmes, specialized agencies and other United Nations entities working in Moldova. Its membership expanded towards the end of the year 2020 to include three additional entities: the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction; the International Fund for Agricultural Development; and the International Telecommunication Union. Another entity – the United Nations Office for Project Services – joined the UNCT at the beginning of 2021.

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17 May 2021

Now more than ever: Reinventing the UN in the time of pandemic

For the world to respond to international crises, it needs an effective international organization. You’ve probably heard the maxim: If the UN didn’t exist, we would have to invent it. The UN family can be proud of the progress we had been making on reforming the UN system before the pandemic. Part of what UN reform did was strengthen the role of the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the RC’s Office (RCO) in each country. As a result of this, the RC is better able to coordinate the efforts of all UN entities in the country and best assist the government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The immense challenge presented by COVID-19 has underlined how vital it is for UN agencies to have a coordinated response. Accordingly, the pace of reform has accelerated as the UN has risen to the challenge of the global crisis. In my work as the RC in Moldova, I’ve seen how valuable such coordination is in ensuring that support reaches individuals and communities in need. COVID-19 required the UN system to move swiftly and efficiently. It required fast, strong, and informed engagement with the government. And it pushed UN agencies and partners to plan and deliver simultaneously. Moldova was one of the first countries to produce, with government, a costed COVID-19 response and recovery plan that included indicators on human rights and gender equity. This plan received high global visibility as it drew on the strengths of the 24 UN entities in our team; it was practical and was an agreed-upon roadmap for national action on the pandemic in Moldova. With the UN reform process, RCs now have a direct reporting line to the UN Secretary-General. This supports the RCs’ strategic engagement with our government counterparts and our member state colleagues in the diplomatic corps and the development community. At the same time, here in Moldova — as in other countries — RCs also strive to stay closely connected to the people and communities we serve. That is a core principle of how we work. Close and effective relationships at all levels position the RC to achieve better results. The UN is an international organization, but many of the benefits it confers are national. That is, our results happen within countries. We tailor our services to countries to support their needs and to build on their own strengths to grow more prosperous and equitable. The UN is able to yield such benefits to individual nations precisely because it is an international organization — in support of government and working with all sectors of society. Consultation is the key to both success and sustainable outcomes. By listening to everyone and facilitating dialogue, we can create an environment where collective solutions are agreed to solving long-lasting and complex problems. I’m proud of the work the UN Country Team — all 24 UN entities — has done in Moldova. Our cooperation with government to understand complex policy solutions, through to recognizing how to address these needs by speaking to citizens to find common solutions and ensure that no one is left behind in the process. I am particularly proud of how the UN system in Moldova has never hesitated in our support, even during the worst moments of the pandemic. The team stayed and delivered, never once suspending our operations. The UN Country Team worked effectively together during the pandemic, because that’s the only way we can deliver. The dedicated staff of the UN know that lives depend on their work. The daily work of UNCTs is the fulfilment of UN reform. We carry it out. We discuss it. We debate it. We experiment. We innovate. We work hard. We reform the UN every day. I’ll return to the maxim from the beginning: If the UN didn’t exist, we would have to invent it. Let’s look at this from another perspective. The UN does exist, and we must reinvent it every day. We remember our history, but we must always look afresh at our work. Always reform. Always improve. The people of the world demand no less and deserve no less. Simon Springett is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Moldova. To learn more about the United Nations in Moldova please visit: Moldova.UN.org.

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18 January 2022

Beyond silence - another success story of including people with disabilities in the Moldovan labour market

They found a good job they love because of a new wage subsidy scheme creating a job opportunity for them. The ILO provided the technical assistance for these reforms aiming at the labour market integration of people with disabilities in Moldova. Ion Nederita lives in Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of Moldova. He was two years old when diagnosed with a profound hearing loss. This loss severely impeded his ability to learn speaking. He learned sign language and this became his entry point to communication and education. However, it did not help him to find a good job.

“After graduating from a special school for deaf pupils, I realized there were limited choices for further vocational education”, confesses Ion with the help of a sign language interpreter. “I picked up carpentry, but my dream was to learn electronics. Unfortunately, neither ordinary schools nor specialized colleges could help people like me”.

As a carpenter Ion could not find a stable job, no matter how hard he tried.

“Young people in Moldova find it difficult to get a good-quality job, but this is tremendously more difficult for those who can neither hear nor speak”, says Ion. “I opted for self-employment, not because I wanted but because there was no other choice.” Ion mostly worked informally, without any form of social security.
“While doing carpentry to support myself, I practiced electronics in my free time. The sense of satisfaction from creating something with my hands gives me joy. Electronics and carpentry have this in common. I thought of giving up my own-account work and searching for a wage job, but I could never overcome the fear of being rejected again.”

With the onset of COVID-19, Ion’s economic situation deteriorated. The demand for his services greatly decreased due to lockdowns and restricted mobility. He could hardly make ends meet which was bad as he had married Mariana just a year before. “I found myself responsible for the two of us”, Ion touches Mariana’s hand gently, a gesture that conveys more than a thousand words.
Mariana shares Ion’s world of silence. She was born deaf and lived for many years in Bender, the second largest city in Transnistria, a disputed region in the east of Moldova. “I went to a special school for deaf people too”, Mariana explains. “Given my drawing skills, I was encouraged to join an ordinary school in Bender. However, I could not use sign language to talk to my pears there. Pen and paper served as a substitute for nearly four years”.

Mariana managed to obtain a formal certification as a graphic artist. She also earned a diploma in physical education and sports, the only vocational program available for the hearing impaired in Bender. “People like us need better access to labour market information and guidance” says Mariana, an assembly operator for electronic parts at Steinel Yet the two diplomas did not help me find a good job in Transnistria. Drawings and occasional sports events helped me to scrape by financially. In 2017, I moved to Chisinau, seeking a stable job, which I could not find. People like us need better access to labour market information and guidance. Employers need greater awareness too. Once, an employer told me that his employees’ voices and ears were his company’s main assets for attracting customers. This was a blunt rejection of my job application.” In 2020, the young couple learned about a new public employment program. Their friends told them that this program had helped many people with disabilities to find jobs. Ion was also excited to find out that there were companies with profiles in electronics that partnered with this program. The couple reached out to the National Employment Agency, and both landed jobs at Steinel Electronic in a matter of days.

Steinel Electronic opened its doors in Moldova in 2007 with a production factory of the German company, specialised in sensor systems. The factory is located in Chisinau and employs 320 workers. Of these, 27 are people with disabilities. 14 men and women with various degrees of disability were employed with the support of the National Employment Agency through a wage subsidy program funded by the ILO. Ion and Mariana were among them. The wage subsidy scheme compensates the employer for the extra costs of hiring people with disabilities and subsidizes their wages in the first six months of work. This subsidy is equal to 30 per cent of the average wage in Moldova. In return, the employer makes a commitment to maintain the worker in employment for at least 12 months.

“We first hired workers with disabilities many years ago to reinforce our culture of social responsibility, as well as to comply with a legally imposed quota”, recalls Clementina Saratean, head of Steinel human resources department. “Yet we quickly realized workers with disabilities can be equally skilful and punctual, and, what’s very important, they are extremely loyal. The turnover among workers with disabilities is the lowest in our company. We focus on workers ability rather than disability. This experience has taught us that these people don’t want pity and charity, just equal opportunity to earn their own way and live independently.” “We focus on workers’ ability rather than disability” says the HR Manager of the hiring firm From their first day at Steinel Electronic, Ion and Mariana received individual coaching. They were trained on occupational safety and health, as well as on environmental protection. Ion was eager to upgrade his welding and wire bonding skills. Now he is a member of the Steinel electronic equipment assembler team. “Wire technics bring small-size components together and endow them with new potential. This kind of work requires good manual dexterity. And it is fascinating”, Ion’s eyes are shining. ”I am comfortable with what I am doing here. I am glad Mariana likes her job too. This is her first ever employment contract. Our next dream is to upgrade our digital skills. We know we are up to it. Our income is stable now, so we decided to start a family. Our baby is coming in just a few months”. Ion and Mariana exchange quick glances. There is lot of love and trust in their eyes.

Moldova has the lowest employment rate in Central and Eastern Europe hardly exceeding 40 per cent. Yet the employment rate of people with disabilities is only half of that. Back in 2017, Moldova introduced a National Employment Strategy, followed by a new Employment Promotion Law. The ILO provided technical assistance to these reforms including the design of new active labour market programs for special target groups like Ion and Mariana. These programs include trainings, wage subsidies, or support for start-ups. Starting in 2019, the National Employment Agency piloted five different programs with financial support from the ILO, including the wage subsidy scheme in which Steinel Electronic participated for hiring Ion and Mariana and others.

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25 November 2021

Beautiful bags: new family business in Calarasi, Moldova with ILO support

They live in the Calarasi region of the Republic of Moldova. After the end of maternity leave, the Ralea couple wanted to change their area of activity and to start a business together that would bring them a stable income. „We decided to start a business, here, at home. We chose to produce covers for musical instruments and bags for photo-video equipment. The beginning was difficult because we did not have experience. We started everything from scratch: bought new equipment, without understanding too much about it, procured raw material at an exaggerated price, etc. There were many questions every day, but the enormous desire to create something beautiful and useful helped us to overcome all the complications", says Alionusca Ralea. The subsidy the young entrepreneur couple received in the amount of 76 thousand lei (3,700 EUR) granted by the National Employment Agency (NEA) helped them to stabilize their fledgling company. “We learned from the specialists of Calarasi Employment Department about the subsidy programs for employers who want to hire and integrate persons with difficulties in finding jobs. We applied to this program and obtained the financial assistance to develop our business and create jobs", explains Alionusca. Thanks to the subsidy from NEA, the young couple rented a space within the Business Incubator located in Calarasi town, where they also received help and crucial information regarding the development of their business. "Now we have modern equipment, which allows us to produce quality goods and facilitates the production process. says Vitalie Ralea. The covers and bags created in the family workshop are of high quality, thanks to the quality fabrics and accessories they use. The owners are focussed on details and meeting customers’ demands, therefore arrange for the delivery of their goods, too. In the future, the Raleas want to become undisputed leaders in this business area, and to turn into reliable partners of their customers, as well as to be able to export their goods. The subsidies offered by the NEA represent an active employment measure, that is, an instrument to bring hard-to-employ people back to the world of work. The Law on Employment and Unemployment Insurance provides for the subsidies, which is being tested this year with the assistance of the ILO in the Republic of Moldova. The ILO is working with NEA as a partner in developing and implementing employment policies.

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16 November 2021

Elena never gave up and finally found a job she loves. A story of labour market inclusion of people with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova

Disability is an obstacle, a huge one, but the human spirit is resilient, and one has to keep going forward”. Read the story of Elena Epuri, a worker with a disability at Steinel Electronics in Chisinau, Moldova. She found a great job she loves because of the new Employment Law and a wage subsidy scheme created an opportunity for her. The ILO provided the technical assistance for these reforms and measures. Elena was born in Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of Moldova. As a child, she was diagnosed with infantile cerebral palsy. Despite long years of medical treatment, her mobility could never be restored in full.

Yet Elena was not inclined to sit at home and waste away. She dreamed of becoming educated and finding a job. She went to two professional schools where she specialized in computer and postal operations. Despite these qualifications, Elena had trouble finding work for many years after graduation. “Some employers were sceptical about my physical abilities and lack of working experience,” recalls Elena, “but more often it was a lack of adaptations in the workplace or long commuting distances that prevented me from finding work.” After years of searching in vain, despair and disappointment took their toll on her, but she never gave up. When her son Maxim was born, Elena felt blessed and loved. Time passed, and when Maxim was nearly two years old, she felt that it was time to start looking for work again. Elena’s mother had passed away long before Maxim was born. Without her mother’s support, there was only her father to count on, and she did not want to be a burden on him. She needed a job badly, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not find one.

One day Elena was advised to reach out to the National Employment Agency (NEA).

“The day I knocked at their door was the luckiest day in my life,” Elena professed. “I was interviewed, I filled out a couple of forms and I left. A few days later, I heard back from the office. I was given the name of a company and told where to go for an interview. Believe it or not, I was hired the same week I first visited Steinel Electronic. Returning home with my first labour contract in hand, I felt like I was in seventh heaven. I had feelings of excitement and hope that were new to me. I never miss a day of work. Each time that I pick up Maxim from kindergarten, I tell him that his mom is back from work to take him home.”

The Republic of Moldova has the lowest employment rates in the region, hovering around 40 per cent over the last two decades. The employment rate of people with disabilities (PwDs) is much lower, at just 17 per cent in recent years, slightly higher for women. Every third person with disability works in agriculture and is highly exposed to precarious working conditions and low chances for career development. Although economic growth is mostly concentrated in Moldova’s urban areas, the unemployment rate of PwDs in cities is double than the rural one. It reached nearly 6 per cent in recent years. While apparently low, the figure can be misleading as it tells little about the many discouraged workers among PwDs, who do not even try to find a job any more.

To strengthen Moldova’s labour market and improve workers’ livelihoods, both legislative reforms and practical measures are essential, and Moldova therefore enacted a new Employment Promotion Law in 2019. The ILO was provided technical assistance for the reforms. The new law promotes a portfolio of active labour market measures (ALMMs) designed to address the diverse challenges unemployed people like Elena face -- i.e. lack of skills and/or work experience, low productivity, employer discrimination, etc. The measures are directed to active jobseekers, as well as to the discouraged unemployed and to employers. They include training and retraining, traineeships, wage subsidies, self-employment opportunities, and local employment initiatives. Starting in 2019, the Public Employment Service piloted five ALMMs with ILO financial support, including a wage subsidy scheme for which Steinel Electronic applied.

Steinel Electronic opened its doors in Moldova in 2007 with a production factory of the German company, specialised in sensor systems, sensor-switched lighting and heat tools. The factory is located in Chisinau and employs 320 workers. Of these, 27 have various degrees of disability. 14 out of 27 PwDs were employed with the support of NEA through the wage subsidy pilot funded by the ILO, Elena is among them. Ten employees joined the company in 2020, at a time when many other workers in Moldova lost their jobs due to the COVID -19 pandemic. The wage subsidy scheme compensates the employer for the extra costs of hiring PwDs, and the Government subsidizes their wages in the first six months of work. This subsidy is equal to 30 per cent of the average wage in the economy. In return, the employer makes a commitment to maintain the worker in employment for at least 12 months.

Elena has been employed for nearly 26 months now, and she is happy. From her first day at Steinel Electronic, she has received training courses on effective assembling processes, occupational safety and health, and environmental protection. During her first month on the job, she also received individual coaching. The company provides daily transportation services to Elena and her colleagues. Her co-workers are always available to offer advice or a helping hand when needed. When her father passed away, they reached out to support her.

“We first hired workers with disabilities many years ago to reinforce our social responsibly culture, as well as to comply with the requirements of Moldovan law,” recalls Clementina Saratean, head of Steinel human resources department. “At least 5 per cent of our jobs have to be reserved for PwDs, this is how the Moldovan law reads. Yet, after some time passed, we realized workers with disabilities can be equally skilful, responsive, and, what’s very important, they are extremely loyal. The turnover among workers with disabilities is the lowest in our company. Eight per cent of our workers have various types of disabilities. We even hired a sign interpreter on a permanent basis to help the deaf colleagues. We are not going to stop here, more people like Elena will be offered the opportunity to join us.”

In 2020, Steinel Electronic was awarded the “Best Employer of People with Disability”. The selection was made by NEA.

“Employment is about more than just a pay check,” according to Elena. “It is about achieving and maintaining independence, self-confidence and paying back your family. Things have changed in the last two years. I’ve got a job, and Maxim again has a mother full of beautiful dreams. One of my dreams has already been fulfilled with the help of NEA and ILO, and now another, very different one is coming true - Maxim is good at breakdancing.” Elena’s smile is warm and wide. “As I said, there are many different ways we can see our dreams fulfilled.”

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26 October 2021

Molovata Noua Tourist Pension Is Settled By Dint Of A Job Creation Subsidy

Prior to that, she worked for many years in a sanatorium. She really wanted to capitalize the accumulated experience and start her own business. She would have not been able to materialize this desire without the moral and financial support of her family. Both her mother and her husband worked abroad, and their savings were invested in a hotel, which, in the meantime, was transformed into a pension. Hence, the family hopes to be able to ensure a decent living at home. „My husband has seen the situation abroad and decided to stay home, as well as my mother, who worked for many years in Italy. This is the choice of our family – to remain at home and build our future here” states Victoria. The entrepreneurial beginning was not an easy thing, but with the help of Dubasari Territorial Employment Department and the financial subsidy amounting MDL 81,075 (i.e., USD 4,609) provided for by the National Employment Agency (NEA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), Victoria succeeded to develop her business and hire the needed staff. This subsidy is offered to employers with the purpose of hiring and (re) integration of people from categories needing additional support on the labour market. The Molovata Noua pension has ten employees. Angela Axentiv is one of them, she is a hotel maid. The woman is happy to have a source of income, after she lost her job in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “I worked at the sanatorium. Then I was dismissed, and the technological unemployment occurred". At present, the pension has ten rooms, a restaurant, a terrace, spaces for field or table tennis, a swimming pool and a landscaped space on the bank of the Dniester River. It opened its doors a month ago, but it is already accommodating an impressive number of visitors from both banks of Dniester. Victoria Musinschi mentions that, at the beginning of the way, a business requires huge investments, and the obtained subsidy helped them to reduce this burden: “We will use some of these funds to renovate the pool and to purchase the necessary equipment for the landscape. We also envisage to digitalize our hotel system and change the design". The subsidies offered by the NEA represent an active measure provided for by the Law on Employment and Unemployment Insurance, which is being tested this year with the methodological and financial support of the ILO. Based on an Implementation Agreement, worth 122 thousand US dollars, the ILO is acting as the basic NEA partner in developing and implementing various employment policies. You can find more details about the possibility of obtaining subsidies by contacting one of the Territorial Employment Subdivisions (you can find the addresses by accessing https://www.anofm.md/ro/subdiviziuni) or by calling the Call Centre Labour Market, 08000 1000, free call from landline on the territory of the Republic of Moldova.

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13 September 2021

“When I found out I was HIV-positive, I thought life was over… Now I enjoy every single day”

How it is like to live with HIV in the Transnistrian region, to be rejected by dearest ones and by the community, to be at the height of despair and despite all odds, to thrive? She is Mila, a young math teacher from Tiraspol who has been living with HIV for 13 years. She accepted her status, gave birth to a daughter, graduated from university, earned good marks, and now enjoys life to the fullest: “I am 33 years old. I live in Tiraspol with my daughter — the most loved person in my life. I work and learn. I have very little free time, but when possible — I paint. My passions and hobbies are my villa, garden, the morning runs. I am living with HIV since 2008. I found out about my status when my husband was hospitalized with pneumocystosis*. The doctors asked me to take the test and it turned out to be positive. My husband transmitted the immunodeficiency virus to me… He died in 2009. I do not openly share my status. The self-stigmatization hinders me. Although most of my relatives, friends and acquaintances know about my HIV-positive status and have an acceptable reaction, the fear of being rejected prevails. Stigmatization impedes me to develop, to enjoy, to feel a full member of society. This feeling is very difficult to overcome. I try, but I don’t always succeed. I don’t even want to talk about my relationship with my relatives… It’s very difficult. My mother still thinks I’m dying soon. She screams everywhere that I’m pitiful because of my HIV status and the therapy I’m undergoing … she tells me a lot of bad words. But I know I’m a good person. I adapted to this status for a very long time, it took me almost seven years. Self-acceptance has had a huge impact on my life. First, this influenced my choice of a husband. I don’t know why I thought I couldn’t have a normal, healthy family. I thought maybe I didn’t deserve it. That’s why my second husband was an antisocial guy. He offended me, he said that no one need such a sick spouse, and I endured, as I thought the same. I suffered everything — his drunkenness and beatings. However, the good part of my life at that time was that I continued to come and communicate with the consultants of the Social Support Center for People living with HIV from Tiraspol. I was interested to learn more about the life with HIV, and I found out a lot of useful information. In 2015, I decided to change my life and leave the construction site where I was working to enter the University of Physics and Mathematics of Tiraspol. I was 27 years old. My colleagues at the Center and my mother-in-law supported me in this decision. After all, when people believe in you, you are ready to move mountains. I was admitted to university, free of budget. After my first year of study, I radically changed my view on life, on HIV. That’s when I decided to leave my husband. And I did it. Then, in 2017, my long-awaited daughter was born. Of course, it was very difficult for me. I gave birth to her at the end of my second year of study. I hardly complete the third year of study, but in the end, I graduated from university, earning excellent grades. And I’m very proud of that because I know how much I’ve worked. As for the feelings, I had then and now… Then I thought that my life was over, and I was periodically depressed. Now I enjoy life, every day I admire the sunrises and sunsets… I enjoy everything I have, even if not all of them are perfect or as I would like them to be. At beginning, to overcome the difficulties, I was looking for power inside me. I wanted to prove to everyone and myself that “I can”, I just have to want it and make an effort. Especially I wasn’t happy with my life, my husband, the drunk workers at work… I really wanted to give up everything and live differently, better. Now everything has become simpler — my power is my daughter. I want to be an example to her. I want her to be proud of me. I don’t lack communication, but I can’t say that I have many friends. The person I trust, my friend is my mother-in-law — the mother of my late husband. For me, the most important thing is for my dearest and closest people to be healthy and happy. Since 2020, Mila attends the activities of the capacity development program to promote human rights in the underrepresented groups on the left bank of the Nistru river, implemented by OHCHR with the financial support of Sweden through the One UN Joint Action “Cross-river support for human rights”. Also, thanks to a grant offered by UNDP through the One UN Joint Action to the CSO “Альянс общественного здоровья” from the left bank of Nistru, Mila attends trainings to become a paralegal specializing in preventing discrimination against people living with HIV in the Transnistrian region. * It is the most common infection in people living with HIV.

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Press Release

28 January 2022

Empowering women and promoting entrepreneurship among youth, supported by ODIMM and ILO

The state, through this initiative, convened within Causeni and Cantemir Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs), will offer to the 13 businesses non-reimbursable financial support amounting to 1.73 million lei. Meanwhile, the young entrepreneurs’ own contribution related to these investment projects will be supported by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and will constitute 380 thousand lei. The implementation of investment projects, selected through the Programs “Start for Youth” and “Women in Business”, will contribute to the creation of about 35 jobs in rural areas. The activities are initiated in various domains, such as: production of pasta, beekeeping, manufacture of cloths, production of reed thermal insulation boards, production of wooden toys, cultivation of fruit trees and interior and exterior design of buildings and landscape. “ODIMM advocates for expanding partnerships and attracting external funds, aimed to support local companies and co-finance national entrepreneurship support programs. The ODIMM-ILO partnership is a successful one and we will continue to act for its large-scale expansion to provide more business opportunities for young people, including women with limited financial resources,” stated Dumitru Pîntea, ODIMM interim director. “Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) represent a social dialogue platform uniting various local and national partners striving to jointly identify labor market challenges, determine solutions tailored to local circumstances and undertake concrete actions to create decent jobs and formalize the existing ones. LEPs implemented by the ILO in Cahul, Cantemir and Causeni districts have totally proved their efficiency and have a positive impact on the local labor market and indirectly on the inhabitants of these three districts. We hope that this innovative model will continue to be developed and extended throughout the whole country", mentioned Violeta Vrabie, ILO project coordinator. Within the ILO-ODIMM partnership, implemented during 2021-2022, 110 young people and women from Causeni and Cantemir districts will participate in entrepreneurship training courses via the Programs "Start for Youth" and "Women in Business" and 50 persons will benefit from non-refunded support for launching and development of their own businesses. We remind that in the period 2019-2020, ODIMM participated in the first Local Employment Partnership implemented by the ILO in Cahul district aiming to boost the local labor market. As a result of Cahul LEP implementation, over 208 jobs were created and formalized and 75 businesses in beekeeping, creative and craft industries were launched, of which ODIMM financially supported 11 businesses initiated by young people and women in Cahul district, and 25 young people have been trained in entrepreneurship. Ion Bodolică from Colibași, Cahul is one of the entrepreneurs who received financial support. He returned home, after seven years of working abroad, and continued to develop the business he started earlier with his fiancé. The couple from Colibași have a business in agriculture - growing flowers in the greenhouse. Due to the non-refunded support, they built two modern greenhouses, furnished it with all necessary equipment for growing plants in any season. This fact allowed them to raise the labor productivity. "Seeing the results of these four years, I decided to remain at home. It is a great happiness to work at home. You are together with your wife. There is no distance that makes people suffer. I don't regret something. I'm very happy and I thank Cahul Employment Partnership and the "Start for Youth" Program for what we have accomplished, so far. " The entrepreneur Andrei Putregai from the village of Cociulia, Cantemir has a business in the field of producing thermal insulation boards of reed and provision of services for walls and roofs thermal insulation with reed. The young man followed his father's footsteps and continued his business. Namely, the experience and observations made in Europe, where the young man's father worked for several years, motivated the young person to start a business based on manufacturing of reed mats. "With the help of this grant we plan to buy an automatic reed knitting machine or other thermal insulation articles. This would help us to produce more square meters of thermal insulation boards. Reed is a perfect thermal insulator. In summer, in the house, is cool, and in winter it keeps the heat. In addition the air circulates differently, not like with the phenoplast. ODIMM helped us to promote the local, ecological raw material", the beneficiary underlined.

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Press Release

28 January 2022

From designing clothes for dolls to professional fashion designer

How it feels like pursuing a childhood dream can only be understood by the ones who experienced it. This is the case of Victoria Cucos, who turned her passion for designing and sewing clothes for dolls into something more. Victoria studied to become a fashion designer and started working in a small workshop, and now she owns a company. When she felt the lack of professional growth at her first job, she decided it was time to start her own business. She remained in the textile manufacturing industry. Although this sector is at the core of the manufacturing industry on both banks of the Nistru river and the competition is great, Victoria, having experience in clothing design, has nevertheless found a business niche. "I have established my own work system, which differs from other workshops, namely the design of clothes. Our masters and specialists know how to do it, which leaves us room for maneuver," notes Victoria. Slowly and surely the role of entrepreneur takes shape She moved on from just being a designer to becoming an entrepreneur. And because she had no experience in running a company, in 2021 she participated in business mentoring courses - "BusinessUP" pilot project carried out with the EU financial support, provided in the framework of the "Confidence Building Measures" Programme, implemented by UNDP Moldova. Thus, in 2021, Victoria benefited from mentoring from Inna Polisciuk, a business consultant from the left bank, a member of the Moldova Business Consultants Association. "To run and grow a business, you have to grow personally. In the framework of the mentoring program, I benefited from consultations and I was guided by specialists who have experience in the field. It's great to have such support, because you are advised properly and on time, so you avoid making mistakes," says Victoria. Although previously she had the possibility to go abroad for work purposes, Victoria chose to invest at home and to offer jobs, also for inexperienced people. Initially she started her business only in her hometown - Tighina (Bender), and in 2019 she commuted Tighina - Chisinau, where she opened her second workshop. "It was a bit difficult at the beginning, because there were different teams, different customers. We gradually adapted and by making joint efforts we managed to strengthen both teams. Now I don't feel any difference, even if one team is on the left bank and the other is on the right bank of the Nistru". In both workshops, Victoria has 16 employees and most of them are women, as this is specific to the textile sector. Both teams are growing and developing. In both Chisinau and in Tighina (Bender), Victoria is looking for talented and dedicated people. Even now she is in the process of expanding both teams. "I learned a lot from Victoria, she has experience and she knows all the processes very well and, once she has a lot of experience, she shares it," says Alexandra Goleac, one of the employees in the workshop in Tighina (Bender). With investments in quality, tomorrow's success starts today In her nearly 20 years in the textile business, Victoria has come to understand that she has to deliver quality, and a personal signature to her products. So, this taught her to pass on all her knowledge about the workshop processes to all employees. She does not see herself in other fields. If she were to start over, she would open a workshop as well. Even the pandemic did not affect her business too much, because she adapted quite quickly to the remote work mode. "We can design clothes remotely. It was a time when I worked more time with designers in Moscow, I developed patterns, models and even a few collections per year. Based on this collaboration, I have also gained experience in working remotely.” Mentoring in business is like a shield As Victoria works in a creative field, all these years she has always been looking for growth and learning opportunities. Thus, in 2021, Victoria attended BusinessUP courses. "After the training courses, you naturally start to act differently, you know the law, you know how to work correctly with people, to engage with customers, with staff, to keep some accounting records and gradually to acquire knowledge. Such mentoring is absolutely necessary," mentions Victoria. For now, the workshop services are only available to residents on both banks of the Nistru river, but Victoria wants to expand her orders area to both the West and the East. "We work on the local market, but we have plans, we do it step by step, which means that nothing happens chaotically. We are developing the company here so that later we can receive orders from Romania or even from Europe.” The "BusinessUp" project, implemented by ACA in partnership with ABC Dniestr Enterprise, is carried out within the European Union Programme "Confidence-Building Measures", implemented by UNDP Moldova. The aim of the project is to provide support to vulnerable SMEs on both banks of the Nistru river, so as to maintain optimal productivity in the context of the crisis caused by COVID-19. During 2021, 43 micro and small businesses on both banks of the Nistru river received advice. Ten mentors provided specialized advice to entrepreneurs from 47 companies (22 – on the left bank, 25 – on the right bank) with about 500 employees. The EU "Confidence-Building Measures" Programme implemented by UNDP Moldova contributes to increasing cooperation between the people on both banks of the Nistru river by involving in joint projects representatives of civil society, media, and the business community.

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Press Release

25 January 2022

Digital billing and e-invoicing save time and trouble for small companies, and customers

Yet this is, arguably, one of the most important parts of any business as financial transactions can make or break your impression of a company, putting all the customer service magic performed before the transaction occurred at risk, to say nothing of its direct impact on a company’s cash flow if it goes wrong or is simply overdue. Currently, most companies and especially the small ones, rely on invoices that are drafted manually in software like Microsoft Office (Word or Excel) and delivered in person or sent as an attachment (usually as a PDF file) by email, which implies wasted time and predisposition to error. This is why Diginet Pro, a small ICT company selected by UNDP Moldova within a funding competition, is developing an electronic invoicing tool for businesses to enable them to send customised electronic invoices to their business partners. Work in the cloud, save paper, ink, time, and trouble Diginet’s service is meant to optimise administrative processes as this solution will be connected to the most popular accounting and data base software (1C:8, CRM Bitrix24 and AmoCRM) in the country. Thanks to the cloud where all invoices will be stored, any sales manager or accountant will be able to find and send digital invoices, track their status (valid or expired) and issue reminders when needed. According to Vladimir Macarov, Director at Diginet Pro, the service will also minimise operational expenses. Deloitte estimates that every digitally processed invoice can save up to US$20. Diginet Pro’s solution will not only digitize the invoicing process, but will also customize it, enabling companies to issue invoices in different currency and deliver them automatically, and double them with an email or text message. This still doesn’t replace tax invoices, which each company is required to issue (physically or electronically), sign with each vendor or client they deal with. But Diginet Pro is hoping to propose in the future a digital solution for this part of the transaction as well. QR codes to help older people pay their bills remotely Another company selected within the same UNDP’s Digital Innovation Challenge is harnessing the QR code technology to digitalise payments even further. PayNet proposed that utility bills issued by local utility service providers such as water distribution and solid waste management service providers, and others, add a QR code on the bill that once scanned, will give immediate access to a company’s payment gateway directing to the service operator. Then the user has two options: either pay via a bank card or a PayNet Wallet. This solution is particularly interesting as not everybody in the country has a bank account (app. 2.2 million cards at the end of 2020), while 98% of the country has internet coverage and over 2.5 million people have access to Internet on their smartphones – all necessary ingredients to pay for your utility bills without having a bank account. Moreover, having a bank account and a debit or credit card does not guarantee that the bank card is used to its full potential. Only 60% of the issued bank cards are active, and many card owners still simply cash out their debit card once a month when they get their salary or pension. Affordable digital solutions for small companies PayNet’s solution may enable older people whose children often reside aboard to manage their households digitally. Older people in Moldova are comfortable using a smartphone (mostly to connect with their loved ones) and with some help can easily learn how to make payments using a QR code as well. Alternatively, their relatives from abroad can use the QR codes to perform the payment remotely. All one will need is to ask their parents or grandparents to send a picture of the bill. This is one of the reasons why PayNet will focus on deploying this technology in rural areas of the country. “We chose to support the payment of bills via QR codes in rural areas because this tool offers extra comfort and flexibility to both users and beneficiaries of payments. We also believe that the QR is a simple tool that could be understood and used by most of the population,” says Vlad Ghenciu, Product Manager at PayNet. Deploying this service means establishing a great deal of partnerships with local utility service providers and overcoming integration issues of the payment via QR codes as some of these companies are not even issuing their bills automatically. But the effort is worth it, and the costs of the project are covered so far by PayNet, thanks to the grant offered by UNDP Moldova. The company proved that small service providers, such as street vendors can easily adopt the technology at a very low cost, having partnered earlier with EcoLocal Farmers Market and craftspeople. They pay up to 2% of the total cost of the bill without having to invest in a point-of-sale terminal. “This technology is a lot more convenient and affordable than having a point-of-sale terminal. I would have to pay for the registration, the terminal itself, and the banks would charge a fee for every cheese sale I would make. But the QR-code technology was offered for free, and I only pay a percentage from each sale,” says Dorina Baciu, Administrator at “Sălașul Baciului”. Diginet Pro and PayNet’s ideas were selected within the first edition of the Digital Transformation Innovation Challenge, organised by UNDP Moldova’s “Accelerating Digital Transformation in the Public Sector of the Republic of Moldova” Programme. The generated ideas prove that there are affordable digital solutions for small and medium-sized companies that can improve internal processes and customer service

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Press Release

25 January 2022

A Distance Training Platform on Labour Law Launched

The platform contains five free training modules with respect to concluding and implementation of individual employment contracts, labour relations accountability, labour law compliance monitoring, labour disputes resolution, occupational safety and health, as well as social dialogue related to labour relations. In addition to direct access to interactive training programs, the registered users of the platform will be able to participate in online seminars, organized periodically by the CNPM and download templates on various acts needed in different circumstances related to labour relations. Platform users can organize their learning schedules individually, which means they can take breaks whenever considered and the system will track their progress while returning to the module. At the end, participants passing all training modules, will get a certificate issued by the Confederation confirming the acquired knowledge. Vladislav Caminschi, CNPM Executive Director stated: “The crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the labour market problems and determined us to expand the new service. We created an innovative tool that will meet the current needs of all relevant labour market actors. Due to the financial assistance and expertise provided by the ILO for the development of the platform and elaboration of the curriculum and training materials, we have managed to create a useful instrument regarding the organization and development of labour relations for both employers and employees. We will continue to develop this platform so that it becomes a benchmark resource for those interested in the labour law and provides them with necessary landmarks for their day-to-day professional activity”. The platform www.instruiri.cnpm.md was developed on the basis of a training module regarding the labour law, created by the Confederation, with the financial and methodological assistance of the ILO, aimed to support the employers to better know and correctly apply the labour legislation along the duration and upon termination of employment relationships. The launching of the e-learning platform on labour legislation was welcomed by the representatives of several companies. One of them, Alexei Ciorap, from the SUPRATEN company mentioned: "It is a valuable and needed tool not only for employers, but also for the human resources specialists of any company. The platform is well-structured and users’ friendly, so I think it will help us to save a lot of time and effort to get informed and find answers to questions that arise in our everyday work”. Note: The National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova is an umbrella organization of the business circles, legally empowered to promote and defend the legitimate interests of its members in relations with public authorities, trade unions and other legal entities. The members of the National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova are Employers' Federations and Associations of most branches of the national economy, as well as several large companies. As a social partner, the CNPM participates in tripartite social dialogue at the national level, negotiates collective agreements at all levels, examines and countersigns various draft laws and regulations on economic and social issues. In addition to that, it forwards policy proposals to improve the entrepreneurship activities and create conditions for foreign investments promotion.

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Press Release

21 January 2022

The Prime Minister, Natalia Gavriliță, and the UN Moldova Resident Coordinator, Simon Springett, chaired the 5th meeting of the Steering Committee of the UN-Moldova Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development 2018-2022

The event was attended by the Deputy Prime-minister, Andrei Spinu, ministers of external affairs and European integration, economy, environment, finance, health, labour and social protection and head of state chancellery, members of the Steering Committee of the UN-Moldova Partnership Framework, as well as representatives of UN agencies in our country. The meeting highlighted the progress made in 2021, in the context of the UN-Moldova Partnership Framework, as well there were presented the joint work plans for 2022. Additionally, there were presented the conclusions and results of the evaluation of the current Partnership Framework that ends in 2022. In her welcome address, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of the Moldovan Government cooperation with the UN family in various areas aimed at ensuring the well-being of citizens and respect for human rights, strengthening the education and health system, promoting a circular economy, protecting the environment and building an inclusive society. “The United Nations institutions have been supporting Moldova for almost 30 years in achieving its major development goals and fulfilling its main vision to be a prosperous and modern European country. Regardless of the level national, local, regional, general, sectorial or intersectoral the cooperation with the United Nations’ agencies has been always based on solidarity, mutual consent and confidence. ” mentioned the prime-minister Natalia Gavrilita The support given to the Republic of Moldova and its citizens to fight against COVID-19 and recover from the pandemic is one of the main achievements of the previous year. As well, digitalization of the process of collecting and analyzing national statistics data, improving the quality of national and local public services, strengthening the capacity to adapt to climate changes in the agriculture, informing and raising public awareness about human rights, gender equality, elimination of gender-based violence or vaccination against COVID-19 were among other important achievements in 2021. “As Moldova seeks to boost its economic development, accelerate progress on the SDG Agenda, and deliver on the Association Agreement – the United Nations stands ready to be a strong and reliable partner. As we look ahead in 2022, the United Nations reconfirms its commitment to supporting government priorities for the wellbeing of all citizens.” underlined Simon Springett. In 2022, UN Moldova in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Moldova will develop and approve the new UN-Moldova Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development for the years 2023-2027.

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