Latest
Press Release
13 June 2022
Call for Proposals “Ukraine Regional Response”
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Press Release
06 June 2022
Moldova lags behind in achieving gender equality in all spheres of life according to the UN Moldova Country Gender Assessment
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Press Release
03 June 2022
European Union, partnering with UNDP, provides additional EUR 10 million non-reimbursable support to the Republic of Moldova to overcome the energy crisis
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals 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.
Press Release
10 March 2022
Immediate support provided to refugees from Ukraine by UN Moldova
As of today, over 250,000 people from Ukraine have crossed the country's border, out of which over 100,000 remained in Moldova, these numbers being in continuous rise as the military actions intensify. Almost 90% of the total number of refugees are women with children – one of the most vulnerable group of persons being highly exposed to different risks and challenges.
In order to provide immediate assistance to refugees from Ukraine, a number of UN agencies, including IOM, OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WHO and others, have taken visits at the border crossing points between Moldova and Ukraine as well to first temporary shelters put in place to assess the humanitarian needs.
To date, the UN Moldova team has provided the following types of assistance:
Personal hygiene products, medicines and medical equipment, food packages – dignity kits, diapers, wet wipes, disinfectants, essential medicine and food packages, provided by IOM, ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO;
Information materials for refugees: leaflets with information needed for refugees, distributed upon entry into the country, provided by IOM, UN Women;
Crisis Communication Support for the Single Center for Refugee Crisis Management in Ukraine: UNDP
Protective equipment against COVID19: masks, disinfectants, provided by WHO
Accommodation / items required for accommodation: support for temporary accommodation in NCTUM resorts, tent heaters, tents, mobile shower cabins, lamps and lighting equipment, beds, mattresses, blankets provided by IOM, ILO, UNDP, UNODC, UNHCR;
Equipment for basic needs of relevant authorities: computers, scanners, work equipment provided by IOM
Monitoring border crossings and temporary shelters / shelters by OHCHR and UNHCR to identify refugee needs, as well as to identify potential gaps in the national support system and make proposals for their removal.
The total value of the support offered as of March 6 is estimated to be over 1,5 million lei, funds provided by the UN agencies and projects funded by the EU, Switzerland, Sweden and other development partners.
The United Nations in Moldova is in a continuous process of coordination with central and local authorities to address the needs of refugees.
At the same time, the United Nations is also grateful to all citizens of the Republic of Moldova who have mobilized so quickly and have shown generosity, solidarity and humanity towards refugees from Ukraine.
The acronyms used in the press release:
UN - United Nations
IOM - International Organization for Migration
ILO - International Labor Organization
OHCHR - UN Office for Human Rights
UNDP - United Nations Development Program
UNHCR - UN Refugee Agency
UNFPA - UN Population Fund
UNICEF - UN Children's Fund
UN Women - UN Entity for Gender Equality
UNODC - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
WHO - World Health Organization
EU - European Union
NCTUM - National Confederation of Trade Unions from Moldova
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Take Action
08 February 2022
Cum putem contribui la realizarea Obiectivelor de Dezvoltare Durabilă?
Știați că fiecare din noi poate contribui la realizarea #ObiectivelorGlobale?
1 of 3
Story
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.
“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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Story
30 May 2022
My job is to assist Roma families exercise their human rights!
The UN Human Rights Office in Moldova (OHCHR), under the One UN Joint Action "Cross-river support to Human Rights" funded by Sweden, has undertaken the mission of establishing and strengthening the Roma community mediators institution on the left bank of Nistru river, using the model and experience of the right bank institution, and guided by international best practices. For several years now, OHCHR has been actively collaborating with Roma civil society organisations on both banks of the Nistru river, conducting dozens of trainings and information activities on human rights, creating conditions for empowering Roma and ensuring their unimpeded access to education, labour market, social protection, health services and documentation.
Roma community mediator’s institution is considered to be the most effective tool in Europe for promoting Roma inclusion and their integration in society. It is also a practical solution to address and reduce inequalities and systemic discrimination faced by Roma in all areas of life. The network of facilitators/mediators on the right bank of the Nistru river, established in 2004, has been proven to be successful and effective. The results are tangible in the fields of education, health care, and social protection. For example, the number of identity documents obtained by Roma, and the number of Roma children who attend school and pre-school institutions in the locations where Roma community mediators increased.
What do community mediators do and how has their work had an impact on the quality of life of those whom they have already assisted? We found out by talking to Serghei Railean and Inga Gonciaruc - Roma community mediators from the left bank of the Nistru river. The experience of the Roma community mediator in the village of Novaya Andriyashevka
September 2021 Serghei Railean, became the first Roma community mediator in the village of Novaya Andriyashevka of Slobozia district. Serghei Railean shares his contribution.
"I became a mediator last September. I learned about the Roma mediators’ institution a few years ago, during human rights trainings organised by the UN Human Rights Office in Moldova. I really wanted to assist my community from Novaya Andriyashevka, so I participated in various events, workshops and seminars, underwent trainings and absorbed new things. And when a competition for the position of the mediator was announced, I decided to take part and was selected. Now I try to solve all the issues faced by our Roma community.
My work mainly consists of providing assistance to vulnerable families - getting firewood for those who don't have it, assisting children who don't attend school now to enrol to it by talking to their parents, finding out what the reason of not attending is. I also help our Roma with guardianship, pension and identity documents. Access to health services depends to a certain extent on awareness of the population. To this end, I talk to families so that Roma can make full use of health services. In other words, I assist our Roma families to exercise their human rights. Roma face different issues, from providing firewood to dealing with different documents. Often the issues faced exceed the mediator’s area of competence. For example, there were conflicts in the community, and even one case of a young man being robbed, who came to me for advice. In such cases, I recommend contacting the law enforcement authorities. The law is the same for everyone. When it was necessary to solve the issue of street lighting or school repair, I went to the local administration. I kept reminding them, telling them how the current situation was negatively affecting the children, their ability to go to school. And that's how they responded to us. Now the school is being repaired, as well as the several village streets are being fixed," said Serghei.
"During these six months, the village witnessed some positive changes. More Roma children attend the school and kindergarten, the school's roof and sanitary facilities were repaired, and vulnerable families received necessary social assistance. I consider that the gradual decrease in the number of Roma who do not have identity and housing registration documents is a very important achievement in my work. At the same time, the number of conflict situations in the community has dropped," says Serghei. Serghei has a family with three children he is very proud of. He believes education is the key to a better future ensuring all human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Therefore, Serghei supports them in their education in every way possible. The experience of the Roma community mediator in the town of Tiraspol A significant number of Roma also live in the district called Nakhalovka in the town of Tiraspol. Like Serghei, Inga Gonciaruk has also been working as a Roma community mediator since September 2021 and shares her first successes and experiences.
According to Inga, she has been active in her community for four years prior to working as a Roma community mediator. Inga and her five colleagues on the left bank of Nistru river attended the training program for Roma community mediators as well as a one-year Human Rights Training Program in 2020-2021 organised by the UN Human Rights Office in Moldova. The trainings contributed to her broader understanding of human rights, human rights monitoring and protection mechanisms.
"Our community faces many issues. However, my main focus is education of Roma children and assisting Roma families in having access to basic public services. Lately, especially in the context of the pandemic, I began providing more often counselling over the phone. Since a large part of our community is illiterate, I help with basic issues - how to get a doctor's appointment, how to enrol a child in school. I assist to resolve conflicts between Roma and non-Roma children in schools. In such cases, I talk to the school administration. At the beginning of this school year, being as the Roma mediator, I visited all schools where Roma children from my district are enrolled, introduced myself and proposed to contact me to help address all conflict situations related to Roma. Everyone feels comfortable communicating this way, with a mediator involved," says Inga.
Inga says that in the past, most Roma children do not go to kindergarten and are not prepared for the start of a school year. They do not know any letters or numbers; they study in the same grade for two-three years in a row. In her opinion, the training program for Roma mediators contributed to better understanding the specific role mediators have in the community - in increasing Roma access to the right to education. Thus, in September, Inga had a lot of requests related to education, and school attendance in the online format. She regularly tries to personally check on how Roma children living in her district are studying.
"People also come to me for help with various documentation issues, they do not know how to write an application, which institution to address, they ask me to accompany them to different authorities. Of course, if I can't solve the problem and need special knowledge, I ask for a professional legal expert support," says Inga Inga Gonciaruk is 39, she has a large family, three sons and recently her granddaughter was born. Besides her work as a mediator, Inga works at the market. At the end of our conversation, she emphasises that the main personal qualities a mediator should have are, first of all, kindness and honesty. If a person does not have these qualities, he or she will never understand people or be able to help them.
Inga also believes that the endeavour of a mediator is to make Roma live a better life and of course, he or she should possess knowledge in the field of human rights. "Roma are often discriminated against, and only with specific knowledge on the principle of non-discrimination can you protect them. I acquired this knowledge at a course on human rights. It is not enough to know your rights - you must be able to exercise them. Helping others understand and exercise their rights is both a quality and mission of the Roma community mediator," Inga says proudly.
UN support to the network of community mediators
"The reasons for marginalisation of Roma are complex. It is caused by severe discrimination in all areas of life, including housing, education, employment and health care," concluded Bea Ferenci, UN Human Rights Adviser in Moldova. - "In a 2015 UN Resolution, the UN Human Rights Council expressed the concern that Roma continued to be socially and economically marginalised, undermining respect for their human rights, spreading prejudice and hindering their full participation in social and economic life and effective exercise of civil rights where they live. The human rights situation of Roma in Moldova has further deteriorated in recent years, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, which has further exacerbated their vulnerabilities.
In general, Roma are significantly limited in their access to economic opportunities and basic social goods and services compared to their non-Roma neighbours. Therefore, the network of community mediators, which has already proved successful on the right bank of the Nistru river, needs to be strengthened on both banks of Nistru river. The UN in Moldova promotes inclusive services on the left bank of Nistru river by facilitating close links between local services and local Roma communities via community mediators. We will continue to contribute to building the capacity of Roma community mediators on both banks of the Nistru river so that every child receives quality education, and every Roma can live, work and develop fully like everyone else". This story can be read in Russian language here.
Roma community mediator’s institution is considered to be the most effective tool in Europe for promoting Roma inclusion and their integration in society. It is also a practical solution to address and reduce inequalities and systemic discrimination faced by Roma in all areas of life. The network of facilitators/mediators on the right bank of the Nistru river, established in 2004, has been proven to be successful and effective. The results are tangible in the fields of education, health care, and social protection. For example, the number of identity documents obtained by Roma, and the number of Roma children who attend school and pre-school institutions in the locations where Roma community mediators increased.
What do community mediators do and how has their work had an impact on the quality of life of those whom they have already assisted? We found out by talking to Serghei Railean and Inga Gonciaruc - Roma community mediators from the left bank of the Nistru river. The experience of the Roma community mediator in the village of Novaya Andriyashevka
September 2021 Serghei Railean, became the first Roma community mediator in the village of Novaya Andriyashevka of Slobozia district. Serghei Railean shares his contribution.
"I became a mediator last September. I learned about the Roma mediators’ institution a few years ago, during human rights trainings organised by the UN Human Rights Office in Moldova. I really wanted to assist my community from Novaya Andriyashevka, so I participated in various events, workshops and seminars, underwent trainings and absorbed new things. And when a competition for the position of the mediator was announced, I decided to take part and was selected. Now I try to solve all the issues faced by our Roma community.
My work mainly consists of providing assistance to vulnerable families - getting firewood for those who don't have it, assisting children who don't attend school now to enrol to it by talking to their parents, finding out what the reason of not attending is. I also help our Roma with guardianship, pension and identity documents. Access to health services depends to a certain extent on awareness of the population. To this end, I talk to families so that Roma can make full use of health services. In other words, I assist our Roma families to exercise their human rights. Roma face different issues, from providing firewood to dealing with different documents. Often the issues faced exceed the mediator’s area of competence. For example, there were conflicts in the community, and even one case of a young man being robbed, who came to me for advice. In such cases, I recommend contacting the law enforcement authorities. The law is the same for everyone. When it was necessary to solve the issue of street lighting or school repair, I went to the local administration. I kept reminding them, telling them how the current situation was negatively affecting the children, their ability to go to school. And that's how they responded to us. Now the school is being repaired, as well as the several village streets are being fixed," said Serghei.
"During these six months, the village witnessed some positive changes. More Roma children attend the school and kindergarten, the school's roof and sanitary facilities were repaired, and vulnerable families received necessary social assistance. I consider that the gradual decrease in the number of Roma who do not have identity and housing registration documents is a very important achievement in my work. At the same time, the number of conflict situations in the community has dropped," says Serghei. Serghei has a family with three children he is very proud of. He believes education is the key to a better future ensuring all human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Therefore, Serghei supports them in their education in every way possible. The experience of the Roma community mediator in the town of Tiraspol A significant number of Roma also live in the district called Nakhalovka in the town of Tiraspol. Like Serghei, Inga Gonciaruk has also been working as a Roma community mediator since September 2021 and shares her first successes and experiences.
According to Inga, she has been active in her community for four years prior to working as a Roma community mediator. Inga and her five colleagues on the left bank of Nistru river attended the training program for Roma community mediators as well as a one-year Human Rights Training Program in 2020-2021 organised by the UN Human Rights Office in Moldova. The trainings contributed to her broader understanding of human rights, human rights monitoring and protection mechanisms.
"Our community faces many issues. However, my main focus is education of Roma children and assisting Roma families in having access to basic public services. Lately, especially in the context of the pandemic, I began providing more often counselling over the phone. Since a large part of our community is illiterate, I help with basic issues - how to get a doctor's appointment, how to enrol a child in school. I assist to resolve conflicts between Roma and non-Roma children in schools. In such cases, I talk to the school administration. At the beginning of this school year, being as the Roma mediator, I visited all schools where Roma children from my district are enrolled, introduced myself and proposed to contact me to help address all conflict situations related to Roma. Everyone feels comfortable communicating this way, with a mediator involved," says Inga.
Inga says that in the past, most Roma children do not go to kindergarten and are not prepared for the start of a school year. They do not know any letters or numbers; they study in the same grade for two-three years in a row. In her opinion, the training program for Roma mediators contributed to better understanding the specific role mediators have in the community - in increasing Roma access to the right to education. Thus, in September, Inga had a lot of requests related to education, and school attendance in the online format. She regularly tries to personally check on how Roma children living in her district are studying.
"People also come to me for help with various documentation issues, they do not know how to write an application, which institution to address, they ask me to accompany them to different authorities. Of course, if I can't solve the problem and need special knowledge, I ask for a professional legal expert support," says Inga Inga Gonciaruk is 39, she has a large family, three sons and recently her granddaughter was born. Besides her work as a mediator, Inga works at the market. At the end of our conversation, she emphasises that the main personal qualities a mediator should have are, first of all, kindness and honesty. If a person does not have these qualities, he or she will never understand people or be able to help them.
Inga also believes that the endeavour of a mediator is to make Roma live a better life and of course, he or she should possess knowledge in the field of human rights. "Roma are often discriminated against, and only with specific knowledge on the principle of non-discrimination can you protect them. I acquired this knowledge at a course on human rights. It is not enough to know your rights - you must be able to exercise them. Helping others understand and exercise their rights is both a quality and mission of the Roma community mediator," Inga says proudly.
UN support to the network of community mediators
"The reasons for marginalisation of Roma are complex. It is caused by severe discrimination in all areas of life, including housing, education, employment and health care," concluded Bea Ferenci, UN Human Rights Adviser in Moldova. - "In a 2015 UN Resolution, the UN Human Rights Council expressed the concern that Roma continued to be socially and economically marginalised, undermining respect for their human rights, spreading prejudice and hindering their full participation in social and economic life and effective exercise of civil rights where they live. The human rights situation of Roma in Moldova has further deteriorated in recent years, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, which has further exacerbated their vulnerabilities.
In general, Roma are significantly limited in their access to economic opportunities and basic social goods and services compared to their non-Roma neighbours. Therefore, the network of community mediators, which has already proved successful on the right bank of the Nistru river, needs to be strengthened on both banks of Nistru river. The UN in Moldova promotes inclusive services on the left bank of Nistru river by facilitating close links between local services and local Roma communities via community mediators. We will continue to contribute to building the capacity of Roma community mediators on both banks of the Nistru river so that every child receives quality education, and every Roma can live, work and develop fully like everyone else". This story can be read in Russian language here.
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Story
29 April 2022
How an adolescent managed to mobilise the Youth neighbourhood in Ungheni to set up a youth-friendly venue
Thanks to them, tens of adults living in the Youth neighbourhood, where the venue is located, and the high school administration have been mobilised. The initiative is part of the YouCreate programme carried out with the support of the Joint Fund for Developing Youth Centres and Strengthened Participation and Civic Engagement of Young People, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Swiss Cooperation Office and UNFPA Moldova. The creative initiatives are coordinated by Terre des hommes (Tdh) Moldova and have reached their third edition this year.
‘The youth centre is the place where the most innovative ideas are born’
Mihai and her teammates, at the local outdoor youth-friendly space
Mihail Golovaciuc (16 years old), a 10th-grade student at ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ High School is one of the project organisers and this community mobilisation project is the first he has contributed to. Mihail became involved in local initiatives once he joined the Youth Centre in Ungheni. It happened in the spring of 2021, and since then, the young man has been building his own path to civic engagement with the help and support of the centre’s team.
‘I got convinced that we, young people from the centre, can cooperate efficiently and I got more actively involved and eventually became the deputy leader of the initiative group. The youth centre is the place where the most innovative ideas are born’, the adolescent says.
In 2021, together with other 10 colleagues of the initiative group, Mihail intended to obtain a grant through YouCreate to set up a youth-friendly venue for young people in the courtyard of his high school. They have managed to see their plans come true just in several months – a modern and well-equipped venue with a few comfortable benches, some of them being made by themselves, a small pergola where several advertisements were posted and a place for taking pictures with friends or colleagues.
Mihail says that it was not an easy journey to reach the result and the secret of success was that they managed to mobilise not only young people but tens of adults in the community.
In the beginning they came up with an idea – they discussed it for hours and put it together like a puzzle, piece by piece, to be able to develop a project proposal. ‘At this stage, the hardest thing was to find a consensus when we had different opinions. We understood very quickly that different opinions should not tear us apart but help us find the best solution’.
Dan Rosca, youth worker, Ungheni Youth Center
Dan Rosca, a youth worker at Ungheni Youth Centre, says that since the first edition of the YouCreate competition, young people have benefited from both financial support and training that helped them develop their projects later on. ‘Young people learned several important aspects at these training, for example, how to work in teams and distribute roles, how to identify projects that are really needed for the school and community, how to establish partnerships and identify potential co-funding’, Dan says.
The trainings and involvement paid off, and in the end, Mihail and his team were happy to find themselves among the winners. Thanks to a grant of MDL 25,800 they purchased building materials – plank, paint, supplies, etc. They paved the area for the future open-air study room and purchased artificial turf using the high school’s financial contribution.
Their parents have supported them since the first day a small construction and innovation site was opened. Shortly after, several men and women from the neighbourhood and young people from the high school joined them.
‘It was amazing to see how our idea managed to mobilise so many people, including the school administration, parents and people living in the surrounding blocks. Each of them helped in one way or another and we achieved a great result at the end’, the young man says.
To be able to mobilise so many people, they did what had to be done, or rather, what they learned in the project courses. They developed a promotional video that was widely distributed on social media and according to Mihail, it helped young people to receive the full support of their peers and adults in the community. Later, they talked to several residents and developed informative leaflets to explain why it is important for young people to have a venue where they can spend their free time.
Mihai Golovaciuc and Oxana Timosco, teacher in Ungheni - the adult member of the initiative
Oxana Timoșco, Deputy Director of Education at ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ High School and the youth group adult coordinator is proud of their initiative. ‘As a teacher, I know that it is difficult to mobilise young people. Therefore, such initiatives are particularly valuable. I am proud of their creative and innovative ideas, of their courage and perseverance’, the teacher says.
The work was finished in several weeks, and now, the venue is one of the most popular places for high school students during school breaks and for young people in the town who organise various performances here or meet to discuss project ideas and initiatives.
Since the whole neighbourhood has worked to build the venue, no one dared to vandalise it so far. ‘That was one of our fears – flowers or benches might disappear or be broken or thrown away, but people who got involved take care of these things, so nothing is damaged. The venue is illuminated at night and a high school employee provides security’, Mihail says.
The project continues
Mihai and his teammates, at the local outdoor youth-friendly space
Since it has been a successful initiative, this year, Mihail and his team decided to expand the project and provide the venue with board and intellectual games to be played outdoor. Not only the project has expanded, but also the implementation team. Besides a group of colleagues from ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ High School, Mihail managed to involve some young people from ‘Mihai Eminescu’ High School in Ungheni.
‘We tried to make this symbiosis between institutions to promote youth cooperation and identify the best ideas and solutions. I urge all young people to get involved, believe in their own strengths, build teams that solve actual problems or launch projects that make people’s lives better’, Mihail says.
The Youth Centers Network in Moldova provides support for the development of creative community initiatives conducted by young people for young people.
#YouCreate is carried out in partnership with Terre des hommes - Moldova and supported financially by the Joint Fund for Developing #YouthCentres and Strengthened Participation and Civic Engagement of Young People set up by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova, Swiss Cooperation in Moldova and UNFPA Moldova.
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Story
23 March 2022
Immediate support provided to refugees from Ukraine by UN Moldova
In the context of the war in Ukraine 16 UN Moldova agency and programs with presence in the country have quickly mobilized their forces and in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the UN Refugee Agency, the UN leading agency of the Ukraine Refugee Response Plan, provided immediate support to persons from Ukraine who had taken refuge in the Republic of Moldova.
As of today, over 250,000 people from Ukraine have crossed the country's border, out of which over 100,000 remained in Moldova, these numbers being in continuous rise as the military actions intensify. Almost 90% of the total number of refugees are women with children – one of the most vulnerable group of persons being highly exposed to different risks and challenges.
In order to provide immediate assistance to refugees from Ukraine, a number of UN agencies, including IOM, OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WHO and others, have taken visits at the border crossing points between Moldova and Ukraine as well to first temporary shelters put in place to assess the humanitarian needs.
To date, the UN Moldova team has provided the following types of assistance:
Personal hygiene products, medicines and medical equipment, food packages – dignity kits, diapers, wet wipes, disinfectants, essential medicine and food packages, provided by IOM, ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO;
Information materials for refugees: leaflets with information needed for refugees, distributed upon entry into the country, provided by IOM, UN Women;
Crisis Communication Support for the Single Center for Refugee Crisis Management in Ukraine: UNDP
Protective equipment against COVID19: masks, disinfectants, provided by WHO
Accommodation / items required for accommodation: support for temporary accommodation in NCTUM resorts, tent heaters, tents, mobile shower cabins, lamps and lighting equipment, beds, mattresses, blankets provided by IOM, ILO, UNDP, UNODC, UNHCR;
Equipment for basic needs of relevant authorities: computers, scanners, work equipment provided by IOM
Monitoring border crossings and temporary shelters / shelters by OHCHR and UNHCR to identify refugee needs, as well as to identify potential gaps in the national support system and make proposals for their removal.
The total value of the support offered as of March 6 is estimated to be over 1,5 million lei, funds provided by the UN agencies and projects funded by the EU, Switzerland, Sweden and other development partners.
The United Nations in Moldova is in a continuous process of coordination with central and local authorities to address the needs of refugees.
At the same time, the United Nations is also grateful to all citizens of the Republic of Moldova who have mobilized so quickly and have shown generosity, solidarity and humanity towards refugees from Ukraine.
The acronyms used in the press release:
UN - United Nations
IOM - International Organization for Migration
ILO - International Labor Organization
OHCHR - UN Office for Human Rights
UNDP - United Nations Development Program
UNHCR - UN Refugee Agency
UNFPA - UN Population Fund
UNICEF - UN Children's Fund
UN Women - UN Entity for Gender Equality
UNODC - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
WHO - World Health Organization
EU - European Union
NCTUM - National Confederation of Trade Unions from Moldova
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Story
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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Story
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.”
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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Press Release
13 June 2022
Call for Proposals “Ukraine Regional Response”
The overall purpose of this call for proposals is to provide grants to women and young women’s civil society organizations in Ukraine and Moldova that focus on promoting socio-economic recovery, leadership and political participation of women and young women in forced displacement (e.g. refugees, internally displaced people, asylum seekers) in crisis and humanitarian contexts.
The WPHF will fund qualifying projects in:
Ukraine
Moldova
The projects must focus on one country. Multi-country projects, or projects outside the geographical focus will NOT be accepted.
CSOs can apply for a maximum of 12 months.
International, national, regional or local/grassroots women or young women led, women’s rights, youth rights, feminist, or civil society organizations with a proven track record working with women, young women and girls in forced displacement, are eligible to apply. Organizations led by displaced persons are strongly encouraged to apply.
Deadline for Early submission: 27 June
Deadline for Second submission: 11 July
(please note organizations should only apply to one submission deadline)
Please find below additional information on the call for proposal and on how to apply (templates):
Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) Call for Proposals “Ukraine Regional Response”
Indicator Tip Sheet for Institutional Funding, WPHF Impact Area 1: Enabling Environment for Women Peace and Security
Indicator Tip Sheet, WPHF Impact Area 6: Peacebuilding & Recovery
Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, STREAM 1: INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING
Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, STREAM 2: PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING
An online information session will be organized for prospective applicants on 17 June 2022 at 12:30 (Geneva)/13:30 (Chisinau) by UN Women and the WPHF Secretariat. The session will be in English with ensured translation in Romanian and Ukrainian.
To register your interest in the information session, please complete the following form: https://forms.gle/HwTDG3UJKMbBvz4L7
An invitation with the session link will be provided prior to the information session. This session will also be recorded and uploaded to the WPHF website for prospective applicants who are unable to attend.
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Press Release
06 June 2022
Moldova lags behind in achieving gender equality in all spheres of life according to the UN Moldova Country Gender Assessment
To support the country’s efforts on gender equality, the UN Country Team in Moldova (UNCT) is strongly committed to ensuring that its activities and projects include a gender perspective and identify transformative actions to reduce inequalities in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this context, the UNCT in Moldova, including the World Bank (WB), has developed a joint Country Gender Assessment that allows an integral and comprehensive understanding of the root causes and impact of gender inequality in Moldova.
Moldova is facing huge demographic challenges. By 2040, Moldova’s population is estimated to shrink to 1.7 million people (the “low” scenario), a decrease of 34.5% against the year 2018. The population pyramid is expected to turn upside-down, with the generations aged 50+ representing about half of the total population, while those over 60+ one third of it. There is going to be a strong gender disequilibrium at senior ages resulting in a very high number of female older single-person households and with a considerable impact on female old-age poverty.
Continuous emigration of the working-age population, with 15,5% of Moldovans wanting to leave the country in the next three years, and ageing of the population will deepen the impact of Moldova’s demographic structure on the development of the country. While women and men desire to have up to three children, in reality they have less than two, owing to challenges with unpaid care work and reconciling work and family life, given the limited availability of family-friendly workplaces and quality public childcare services.
Social norms and stereotypical gender roles also influence educational as well as professional attainments. The assessment reveals a higher dropout rate in schools among boys. In 2019, the male dropout rate (age cohort 18-25) was 22.6%, compared to a female dropout rate of 15.3%. Men and boys seeing their gender role as breadwinners and economic providers, could be an explanation. Nevertheless, educational attainment among Roma women remains low, while women with disabilities continue to face exclusion. In Moldova, choosing a profession is still strongly influenced by gender roles. Girls tend to choose specializations related to the liberal arts subjects (philology, political science, social sciences, social assistance, etc.), which are usually less well paid.
Gender inequalities in health are significant and have been increasing. At the macro-level, men are more impacted by gender inequalities in health, with a higher mortality rate and lower life expectancy, owing to gender differences in behaviour. However, unmet needs for health care services are larger among women, reaching 43% among women with disabilities, 35% among poor women and 35% among women aged 60+. The current need for modern family planning methods and sexual and reproductive health services remains unmet. Additionally, about one third of women in Moldova, especially young women, lack sexual and reproductive autonomy.
Looking at employment, Moldova has the highest prevalence of inactivity among women in the region. In 2021, the share of young women neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) was among the highest in the region at 24%. The employment rate among the Roma population is about seven times lower than in the general population (40.9%), while the employment rate of people with disabilities is about four times lower. Unpaid care work in the household and family are likely barriers to labor force participation, especially for women, who disproportionately take on unpaid caregiving responsibilities. Women from rural areas have less access to labor opportunities.
Women are at higher risk of poverty as a result of the unequal division of unpaid care responsibilities, lower employment of women, especially mothers with pre-school children, as well as inequity in pensions. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 54% of the poor in 2019 were women. Retirement exacerbates poverty among older women, particularly in rural areas, where women receive much smaller pensions. Close to 40% of older women stated that they have a net income of less than 3000 MDL/month. In 2020, the discrepancy in the average pension of women and men was estimated at about 32% in Chisinau, exceeding the national average by 11%. The risk of poverty is even higher among vulnerable women.
Only a third of entrepreneurs in Moldova are women, caused by different factors including limited access to resources and financial capital, discriminatory practices and gender stereotypes, as well as the burden of unpaid care work. Women are furthermore underrepresented in top managerial positions.
In the political sphere, things are improving. Recent effective legal changes, instituting a double quota system, have resulted in more women being elected to political offices. After the 2019 local elections, the highest number of elected women councillors was registered. 27.08% of elected women were at the district/municipal level (an increase of 10% in comparison with previous elections), and 36.5% at the local level (an increase of 6%). The share of women MPs elected to Parliament in 2021 also increased to 39.6%.
Gender-based violence is pervasive in the Republic of Moldova. Almost 40% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. 49% indicate that they have been sexually harassed since the age of 15, and 18% say that they were sexually harassed in the last 12 month. However, willingness to report gender-based violence is low, also due to low trust in law enforcement bodies.
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened inequalities in care responsibilities, with a negative disproportionate impact on women, resulting in them becoming less active in the labor market. The pandemic resulted in women losing their jobs or incomes, as they had to manage remote working while performing increased domestic and caring responsibilities. Moreover, the pandemic had a near-immediate effect on women’s employment: the share of women who continued to go to work was 15% lower than men.
The assessment takes a No One Left Behind (NOLB) analytical approach and is based on the analysis of data from the Generations and Gender Survey, Household Budget Survey, Labour Force Survey and Development of the Business Environment survey produced by the National Bureau of Statistics and other data. The qualitative component of the assessment included focus group discussions and key informant interviews with representatives of vulnerable groups of women. Additionally, representatives of civil society organisations representing vulnerable groups of women were consulted.
The results of the assessment will feed into key strategic and analytical documents of the United Nations system, including the new World Bank Country Partnership Framework for the Republic of Moldova; the United Nations 2021 Common Country Analysis and the Moldova-United Nations Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development 2023-2027.
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Press Release
03 June 2022
European Union, partnering with UNDP, provides additional EUR 10 million non-reimbursable support to the Republic of Moldova to overcome the energy crisis
The new programme, entitled “Addressing the impacts of the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova”, is designed to strengthen both the ability of the Government and the energy sector to review and improve core functioning processes and coordination mechanisms. These measures are essential to support Moldova’s efforts to implement key energy reforms, as well as to strengthen institutional capacity to respond to both the current and potential future energy shocks.
The programme will contribute to providing a standard definition for energy poverty in order to build the mechanisms needed to alleviate the energy burden faced by vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova.
“In the Republic of Moldova, energy poverty is a national issue that currently affects most of the Moldovans. Around 60% of households spend more than 10% of their budget on energy. This number is likely to increase next winter, as heating season will restart and global gas prices remain unpredictable. The problem of energy poverty, if left unaddressed, threatens to amplify vulnerability, creating long-term effects on Moldovan society and its economy,” noted Marcel Spatari, Minister of Labour and Social Protection.
The programme will also include a large-scale information campaign that will encourage homeowners to replace old home appliances with more energy-efficient models. The campaign will be complemented by the testing of targeted energy-efficient solutions and renewable technologies that can be used in energy-poor households. In addition, several blocks of flats will be equipped with horizontal heating distribution systems, and photovoltaic panel systems will be installed in at least three medical institutions, which will contribute to reducing energy costs.
“The new programme launched today demonstrates the European Union’s strong commitment to support the people of the Republic of Moldova to overcome the energy challenges. This ambitious programme will contribute to the energy security and energy independence of the Republic of Moldova. It will do so by increasing the capacity of the Government, by investing in renewable energy projects and by increasing awareness of the population about energy efficiency and its benefits. It will also have a positive impact on the environment, through the implemented energy efficiency measures,” stated Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.
Furthermore, the programme envisages support for the transposition of the EU Third Energy Package into both primary and secondary legislation, as well as a series of Directives and Regulations of “Clean Energy for all Europeans” package, which addresses the energy performance of buildings, renewable energy, energy efficiency, good governance, and the design of the electricity market design.
“The launch of this joint EU-UNDP Programme intended to address Moldova’s current and emerging needs in terms of energy security and resilience is timely and critical. Spillovers from the war in Ukraine are affecting the Moldovan economy through a variety of channels, including a spike in energy prices, trade disruptions, adverse confidence effects and the indirect impact of sanctions. Our recent analysis shows that 60% of Moldova’s population live in energy poverty, spending more than 10% of their budgets on energy bills. The new programme will enable us to engage in the green energy transition by promoting energy efficiency and renewable solutions envisaged by the EU Green Deal,” said Mirjana Špoljarić Egger, UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Europe and the CIS.
The new EUR 10 million programme “Addressing the impacts of the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova” is a complementary support, in addition to the EUR 60 million, in the form of budget support, as emergency assistance to overcome the energy crisis and EUR 5 million for supporting the vulnerable population affected by the energy crisis, provided by the European Union. It supports the Moldovan public authorities and vulnerable groups in the context of prices’ increase for natural gas, which is leading to chain price escalations.
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Press Release
18 May 2022
The Republic of Moldova will be able to implement a methodology for social dialogue institutions self-assessment
This Method is a tool allowing the members of a Social Dialogue Institutions (SDI) to carry out an in-depth self-assessment of the institution and to develop an action plan to improve its inclusion and effectiveness.
The methodology was made available to the social partners and the Government of the Republic of Moldova and was presented at the meeting of the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Bargaining on May 6. "The application of this method is intended to make social dialogue institutions stronger than ever, since all countries of the world struggle with the social and economic consequences of COVID-19 pandemic and seek to establish and implement sustainable recovery plans", mentioned Mr Sergiu Sainciuc, the Deputy President of the National Confederation of the Trade Unions of Moldova.
The presentation of the methodology referred to the need of this methodology, why a social dialogue institution needs to carry out a self-assessment, which social dialogue institutions can apply it and what are the steps to follow.
“By conducting and acting on the results of self-assessment, a SDI should be capable to increase its inclusion and effectiveness. The ultimate goal is to enable countries to achieve fairer political outcomes from the social point of view and more sustainable from the economic one by strengthening the contribution of social dialogue institutions in the national policy-making processes. However, the evidence shows that policies developed through social dialogue, with the involvement of representative organizations of employers and workers together with the governments, provide better, fairer, and more sustainable results than those unilaterally designed by the government or imposed by an international institution without proper consultation with respective internal authorities", stated Violeta Vrabie, ILO Project Coordinator.
The participants in the meeting of the National Commission for Collective Consultations and Bargaining expressed their openness regarding the implementation of self-assessment methodology by social dialogue institutions.
The self-assessment method of social dialogue institutions was developed by the ILO with the financial assistance of Sweden and in partnership with representatives of social dialogue institutions and relevant international experts.
For more details, please contact: vrabie@ilo.org or call + (373) 78 11 33 90.
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Press Release
18 May 2022
Ukraine’s refugee children discover STEM disciplines while in Moldova
The lab offers a UNDP-designed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) course, comprised of 10 modules appropriate for 11-17-year-olds. Seventeen students from Ukraine have joined 90 local students from Cremenciug and neighboring Copanca to learn about web design, data analytics, copywriting, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and 3D printing. With the support of mentors, the children are discovering a variety of professions from the digital world and developing skills needed for their future careers. The number is likely to grow.
“We are so happy that we can share this space with all children from the community, including refugees from Ukraine. We hope that this course will support their development,” said Ana Semeniuc, Director of Stels-Terra Youth Association from Cremenciug, the local CSO being involved in the setup of the digital lab.
“Now I have a dream, to become a social media specialist. This seems like a profession of the future,” notes Alexandra, age 15, a refugee from the Ukraine city of Ciornomorsk.
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