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Press Release
17 May 2022
The Republic of Moldova will be able to implement a methodology for social dialogue institutions self-assessment
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Video
16 May 2022
Video message of the UN Moldova Resident Coordinator on the launch of the campaign to celebrate 30 years since the Republic of Moldova adhered to the UN
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Press Release
13 May 2022
Ukraine’s refugee children discover STEM disciplines while in Moldova
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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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08 February 2022
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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
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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Story
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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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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Press Release
10 May 2022
Readout of the Secretary-General's meeting with H.E. Ms. Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova
The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the immense generosity and solidarity shown by the Government and people of Moldova towards those fleeing the war in Ukraine. He also noted that Moldova, already a fragile country, is by far the country that has received the most Ukrainian refugees, as a proportion of its own population.
The Secretary-General expressed the United Nations full solidarity and commitment to scale up the Organization’s assistance to the Moldovan authorities to address the refugee crisis and the full impact of the war in Ukraine, as well as to the strengthening of the country’s national institutions. The Secretary-General also called on the international community to demonstrate true solidarity and support to the Republic of Moldova.
The Secretary-General reiterated his support for the full respect for Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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Press Release
09 May 2022
UN Secretary-General's remarks to the Media in Chişinau, Moldova
As I told Prime Minister Gavrilita, I am here on a mission of solidarity and gratitude, to thank Moldova for your steadfast support for peace, and for your generosity in opening your borders, your homes and your hearts to almost half a million Ukrainian refugees.
Moldova is not just another country receiving refugees.
The most fragile of Ukraine’s neighbours, Moldova is by far the country that has received the most refugees, as proportion of its own population.
Moldova needs and deserves massive support to match, including budget support to match its generosity and to preserve stability.
The impact of the war in Ukraine across the region and the world is profound and far-reaching. The consequences of escalation are too frightening to contemplate.
I am deeply concerned about the continuation and possible spread of the war Russia is waging in Ukraine, and by the impact it is having not only in the region but around the world.
Neighbouring countries like Moldova are already struggling with the socio-economic ramifications of this war coming on top of COVID and the uneven recovery that unfortunately has happened in our world for lack of effective solidarity of the rich with the poor.
The United Nations is committed to supporting not only the people of Ukraine, but also the people of Moldova during these difficult times.
Your sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and the solid progress you have made over the past three decades, must not be threatened or undermined.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine must stop. The guns must be silenced.
I urge Russia and Ukraine to step up diplomatic efforts through dialogue to urgently achieve a negotiated settlement, in line with international law and the UN Charter.
And I call on regional and international partners to support this process in the interests of global stability.
I repeat my offer to provide my good offices at any time to put an end to this senseless war.
On 9 May, of all days, we remember that dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect are the bedrock of peace and security, in Europe and around the world.
I congratulate the Republic of Moldova on the thirtieth anniversary of joining the United Nations and thank you for your contributions and strong partnership in areas including peacekeeping, sustainable development, gender equality, climate change and I could go on and on.
Despite the difficult and indeed tragic circumstances of my visit, I have already experienced the hospitality that is a hallmark of your country. I thank you for extending that hospitality to the 100,000 Ukrainian refugees staying in Moldova – an increase of almost 4 percent of your population.
Moldova may not be the largest or wealthiest country in Europe, but its tremendous humanity and generosity are clear for all to see.
I witnessed the horrific humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine for myself. But by standing in solidarity with Ukrainians, Moldova, together with other neighbouring countries have mounted a highly effective response to the regional refugee crisis.
I also welcome the steps Moldova and other neighbouring countries are taking to protect refugees against human trafficking, gender-based violence, and other forms of abuse.
The United Nations is supporting refugees, displaced people and host communities both inside and outside Ukraine. So far, more than 200 partners – mostly national NGOs – have reached more than 5.4 million people inside the country with aid including food, shelter, blankets, medicines and water.
But obviously, this is not enough. We need to do much more. We are working to double our reach in some areas over the coming months. Everywhere, our operations in Ukraine focus on the most vulnerable: children, women, elderly people and those with disabilities.
Here in Moldova, and I have to say that it was not easy for the UN to readapt to a humanitarian crisis in Europe, Here, we do not have refugee camps. Refugees live with the families of Moldovans. Here, we don’t have the traditional forms of humanitarian support in crisis areas of the developing world, in fragile states. So it took some time to fully organize our work and to fully correspond to the needs of cooperation that Moldova expects in relation to the UN. But now, we are doing everything we can in order to scale up our programs and in particular the most effective of those programs, cash assistance – because we must trust that people know what their needs are.
We aim to support over 90,000 refugees and 55,000 Moldovan hosts, in coordination with the Government and other partners.
So far, 12 Member States have joined the EU Solidarity Platform and made pledges to transfer Ukrainian refugees from Moldova.
I encourage others to demonstrate joint responsibility and solidarity by joining this initiative.
Moldova is a small country with a big heart.
But its resources are limited.
The United Nations and our partner organizations can only support governments to meet the needs of everyone affected by this war if our two humanitarian appeals for $2.25 billion inside Ukraine and $1.85 billion for the refugee response are fully funded.
I urge all countries to give generously. In global terms, these are minuscule sums.
I also urge all countries to consider upgrading their economic partnership with Moldova, and to support opportunities for its young women and men.
The war is having a devastating impact on the Moldovan economy, with supply chains broken and fuel and food prices rising fast.
For its European Union neighbours, massive solidarity with Moldova is not a matter of generosity, it is a matter of enlightened self-interest.
Many young Moldovans are considering leaving or have already left. While many remain active in support of their country from outside, Moldova needs peace for the sake of these dynamic young agents of change, who have so much to offer.
I am speaking from personal knowledge of this subject, as one of my own youth climate advisors, Vladislav Kaim, is from Moldova.
Our United Nations Country Team in Moldova will continue to do its best to support the Government and people throughout these serious challenges.
But above all, I want to thank Moldova for its generosity and solidarity, for its steadfast support for peace and multilateral solutions, and for its example of humanity.
Thank you very much.
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Press Release
06 May 2022
United Nations Secretary-General visit to the Republic of Moldova
During his stay in the country, he will express his solidarity and thank Moldova for its steadfast support for peace, and for its people’s generosity in opening their hearts and their homes to almost half a million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. As this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Republic of Moldova’s membership to the United Nations, the visit will also be an opportunity to discuss and appreciate Moldova’s support and contribution to the work of the Organization, including in the field of peacekeeping. In Chișinău, the Secretary-General will meet with President Maia Sandu, as well as with Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and with the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu.
He will visit a Refugee Centre run with the support of the United Nations agencies, and where refugees can find temporary places to stay, hot meals and register for cash assistance. In that Centre, which also holds a Blue Dot – a support centre for emerging needs of children and their mothers - and an Orange Safe Space which provides refugee youth, women and older persons with a physically, emotionally, and socially protective environment, the Secretary-General will have a chance to listen to Ukrainians who were forced to leave their country. As the vast majority of Ukrainian refugees in Moldova are being hosted by families who have shown immense generosity, the Secretary-General will also meet with a local family hosting refugees.
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