Six civil society organizations from both sides of the Nistru River receive financial support for peacebuilding projects

The financial support is being provided through the project "Building sustainable and inclusive peace, strengthening trust and social cohesion on both banks of the Nistru River," which is funded by the United Nations Peace Building Fund and jointly implemented by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), UNDP and UN Women Moldova.

A ceremony was held on 28 of April, 2023 to distribute these small grants to the six beneficiary organizations and highlight their leaders’ determination and commitment to act as promoters of change, capitalising on the potential of women to participate in peacebuilding processes at the local and national levels.

Simon Springett, Resident Coordinator of the UN in Moldova, said this event showcases the strong and continuous partnership between the United Nations, Moldovan government and civil society to promote human rights and gender equality, thus contributing to the improvement of social cohesion. “While women-led organizations and their participation contribute to stronger democracies and lasting peace, support for women's efforts to build and maintain peace and strengthen community resilience remains underfunded,” he said. “We have an important opportunity to engage women in all aspects of peace and security processes, from the local level to the global level. The financial support provided today to the six organizations on both banks of the Nistru River will increase their institutional capacities, allowing them to participate significantly in peacebuilding efforts in their communities and beyond."

Eugen Cara, Deputy Head of the Bureau for Reintegration Policy, said that initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s roles in society are essential to ensuring peace in the region. "Supporting civil society and women's engagement in peace processes means democracy, welfare and security,” he said. “We are glad that the number of organizations from the left bank of the Nistru that apply to projects is increasing, because we need projects targeting beneficiaries from both banks of the river. This will contribute to strengthening trust; maintaining sustainable peace; achieving social cohesion; promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda; and respecting human rights according to recognised international standards."

Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, reiterated the importance of developing civil society organizations and their institutional capacities. She said that this support would help them improve their internal policies and mechanisms as well as their human capital, which will enable them to become strong promoters of lasting peace and social cohesion. "Importantly, this project focuses on supporting the role of women in promoting peace,” she said, adding that progress towards increasing women's participation in peace negotiations is currently very slow. “At the same time, I am optimistic after our meetings with representatives of the organizations, where I saw their willingness to maintain a dialogue, discuss problems and find solutions together,” she said. “I am sure that these small grants will help strengthen the dialogue and increase efforts to improve social cohesion.”

The project "Building lasting and inclusive peace, strengthening trust and social cohesion on both banks of the Nistru River," which is funded by the United Nations PeaceBuilding Fund and jointly implemented by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), UNDP and UN Women Moldova, aims to facilitate a favourable environment to improve the relationship between communities on both banks of the Nistru River, reduce social tensions and enhance the integration of human rights and gender equality into the Transnistrian settlement process. The project is being implemented between 2022 and 2024, and its total budget is $2,452,500 USD.