Despite the glass wall of the incubator, baby Matei's temporary crib, they have a bond that needs no words to express a wealth of emotions.  Their journey of reaching the Institute has been a harrowing one.  “I arrived at the Mother and Child Center on May 5, and Matei came into this world on May 6,” shares 26-year-old Mariana. “It has been almost four months since this place has become our home, since we haven't been outside the hospital gate. Matei has been in the neonatal intensive care unit since the day he was born.  He weighed 1.2 kg at birth, and now he is almost 3 kg.  Unfortunately, he is still here, because besides the small weight, our little boy also has a respiratory disorder.” The Mother and Child Institute is Moldova’s only national referral healthcare facility for obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatology, and paediatrics. Supported by the UN in Moldova, the centre is dedicated to handling the most complex and serious medical cases affecting women and children. Women from across the country come here for specialized care, often facing high-risk pregnancies complicated by conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and eclampsia. The Institute also provides critical emergency care for premature babies and newborns with various health conditions.  Addressing maternal mortality  As a medical professional, Mariana opted for this maternity hospital to ensure the safety of both herself and her child. To her surprise, the facility was far more advanced and well-equipped than she had anticipated.  “I have lived with diabetes since I was six. As a doctor, I knew my pregnancy wouldn't be easy. Throughout, I was closely monitored at the Mother and Child Center. At 28 weeks, everything changed when I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure soared, and there was a terrifying risk that my baby could suffocate. I had to undergo an emergency C-section. It was overwhelming, but I knew it was the only way to protect my baby,” she said. Her emergency C-section took place in one of the operating rooms refurbished and outfitted with cutting-edge medical equipment and necessary instruments provided by UN agencies in Moldova, designed for urgent childbirth and high-risk cases.  The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted Moldova's healthcare system, restricting access to essential services and contributing to a rise in maternal mortality. Infant mortality in the country also remained alarmingly high—approximately three times higher than the European Union average. In response, the United Nations in Moldova, through its Cooperation Framework and under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, mobilized UN agencies to strengthen the healthcare system. This comprehensive effort included ensuring universal access to quality care, enhancing the system's resilience to emergencies, and improving in-patient health outcomes. Between 2021 and 2023, these coordinated efforts yielded encouraging results: mortality rates within the Mother and Child Institute decreased from 0.44 per cent to 0.36 per cent, while the rate in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) dropped from 9.3 per cent to 7.5 per cent. These positive developments underscore the importance of the UN's ongoing efforts to help address the challenges facing Moldova's healthcare system to improve maternal and child health outcomes.  Advancing neonatal care  Mariana and Matei's journey to a full life outside the hospital, however, was far from over, and the Institute remained a vital source of support for the family.  “At first, I was afraid of touching my baby. When pregnant, you imagine how your baby will sleep in a beautiful crib at home, surrounded by flowers, balloons, and you end up seeing him intubated and surrounded by all kinds of wires and equipment. It was a shock for me. Thanks to the psychologist of the hospital, who supported and encouraged me every day, I started changing Matei’s diapers, cuddling, and feeding him.  Of course, I do cry sometimes, but I remember that Matei can sense my feelings,” Mariana explained. Matei shares his room with six other newborn babies. Behind their transparent walls, symmetrically arranged incubators protect the smallest babies born in Moldova. Temperature, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and many other figures on state-of-the-art monitors in the ward thoroughly monitor the health of the hospital’s smallest patients. Any sign of change in the patients’ vital signs causes neonatologist paediatrician Dr. Natalia Prodan and her team to respond immediately with determined focus. “Premature newborns are more fragile than babies born at term. For this reason, it is important to monitor carefully any detail linked to thermal instability,” said Dr. Prodan.   Harnessing technology  In addition to the professionalism and empathy of doctors, modern technology plays a crucial role in caring for babies like Matei.  Dr. Podan pointed out the difference these investments have made since she joined the hospital: “Six years ago, when I first started working here as a resident, we didn’t have this advanced equipment. It was much harder to do our job. For instance, the monitors didn’t even alert us when their batteries were low.  Now, this modern equipment makes our job easier and helps us save lives.” Support from UN agencies has enabled the refurbishment and equipping of the intensive care and resuscitation units for newborns with state-of-the-art medical equipment and furniture. This joint effort, including contributions from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has modernized the facility and strengthened its capacity to provide quality care. In 2023 alone, over 40,500 babies and pregnant women, including Ukrainian refugees, benefited from these enhanced services at the Mother and Child Institute.  “After I feed Matei, I leave him with the nurses, trusting them completely. But the moment I walk away, I start missing him. I find myself looking at his pictures, counting the hours until I can go back to his ward and hold him again. And every time I think about the moment we’ll step outside together, my heart fills with hope,” Mariana said, ready to face a new day.   
 

The girl has learned to face her disability with great courage, while skills and perseverance are the key elements to success in her aspirations. The fact that she sees only 50% with both eyes is not an impediment for her to be active and engaged.Throughout her school years she has been a member of student councils, and for two years now she has been a volunteer with the National Youth Platform for Active Participation. She is passionate about chemistry, chess, and painting, excited to meet new people, and participate in personal and community development projects. Iuliana is convinced that discrimination and marginalization have no place in a modern society, while young people with disabilities deserve to be encouraged and supported in achieving their aspirations.Accepting your own disability is the hardest, but also the most rewarding Iuliana was born and lives in Bardar, Ialoveni. She finished village secondary school, and now commutes daily to Ialoveni, where she studies in the 11th grade at high school. Both she and her brother and younger sister have pigmentary retinopathy, a genetic disorder that affects peripheral and night vision. "I was very angry with my eyesight until the age of 13. Now I have a different attitude. I have learned to accept my limitations, not to view them as barriers or problems. I accept myself and I know that there are all kinds of opportunities out there for me.” During her teenage years she felt bullied, marginalized, while the number of her friends became smaller. "I remember having a bunch of classmates with whom we used to go out in the evenings. If the sun went down, I had to ask someone to help me find my way, to hold my hand, because I could not see. At first, it seemed a joke to everyone, then I noticed that they stopped inviting me, and that at school they would make jokes about me", tells Iuliana.Now she says she does not have many friends, but she cares a lot about the peers she implements community and volunteer projects with. "It hurt most, when I had to give up basketball and volleyball. I used to be on the team until the 8th grade and I like these sports very much, but because of my eyesight I could not dribble, I would almost always stand by the basket and I could not be a good player for the team. So, I have found an occupation that would fill this void and give me the sense of fulfillment - volunteering."I find it trivial for a young person just to do homework and commute from home to school and back Throughout her school years, Iuliana has been a member of student councils, and participated in various school projects. "When I was in the 8th grade, I applied for a grant, which I got together with the village hall. Thanks to this grant, we installed garbage bins on the outskirts of the village and procured mobile dumpsters to be used at special events", recalls the girl enthusiastically. "This experience strongly motivated me to engage. And I have managed to do that. It was wow!”Two years ago, together with a classmate, she had an interview with the National Youth Platform for Active Participation, a non-governmental youth organization with the goal of improving the culture of young people’s participation in decision-making processes at institutional, local and central levels.She was accepted as a volunteer and starting with August this year she has been coordinating the platform's Human Resource Department.I want to be engaged and active, to inspire!"I remember the first events with the platform. I met young people who talked so enthusiastically about what they were doing, and I said to myself: I want to be active too! 😊". Nowadays, with so many opportunities, I find it trivial to be just a high school student and do your homework and commute from home to school and back", says Iuliana.Her engagement as a volunteer has offered her unique experiences and trainings in areas such as leadership, financial education, time management, project writing, etc. "Thanks to volunteering, I have been to Chisinau, met ambassadors, famous people, and extraordinary young people. I have overcome my shyness. I love being me with myself in this world full of so many wonderful things", confesses the protagonist smiling.The new role within the platform involves several responsibilities: to carry out recruitment interviews, learning and team building activities, certain organizational steps as part of large events. "I come to Chisinau every Saturday, sometimes even twice a week", tells Iuliana. “My parents encourage me, and I am extremely happy with my achievements.”Iuliana is also passionate about chemistry, which is "more than just an object studied at school," she says. She dreams of becoming a chemist researcher.Also, she paints with gouache and acrylic. Extremely modest, she talks about her favorite works and the new painting she is working on at the moment. Iuliana also plays chess. She has her chess class every Sunday in Ialoveni. From the 5th grade, she has been competing at the district level, while in the last three years she has been taking the top (1st and 2nd) places in district competitions. To the question whether Moldova is an inclusive country for young people with disabilities, Iuliana is optimistic, considering that discrimination has no place in a modern society. "I believe that the authorities and adults in particular have the role of not ignoring discrimination and bullying, just as they would not ignore a theft, for example. It would be good if influencers also promoted social messages in addition to selling products, because they are the ones who shape opinions", says the girl with a strong conviction."I would encourage my peers, young people with disabilities, to have courage, to overcome fakes, myths, inhibition. There are no barriers on the way to dreams, unless we create them ourselves. I would especially advise their parents to motivate them to try, discover, engage. There is no impossible!”***This story is part of the UN Moldova awareness raising campaign ”Stand for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities – No One Must Be Left Behind." An initiative that is part of the UN ongoing efforts to promote the inclusive and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all their diversity in decision-making processes at all levels. The story was developed with the financial support of the UN Human Rights Moldova within the project "Paradigm Shift to Disability Inclusive Services, Accountability and Governance in Moldova", implemented by UN Human Rights Moldova, UNDP Moldova, and UNICEF Moldova funded by to the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). The views expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the UN Human Rights or the UNPRPD.

For many families from Ukraine, the dream of a peaceful and prosperous life was shattered by the war that broke out on February 24, 2022. The story of 26-year-old Natalia from Odesa is just one of the many tragedies experienced by refugees. The young mother, together with her two children, was forced to flee the armed conflict and found refuge in Chișinău, at a Center where she received support and warmth for a new beginning.The family lives at the "SOS Autism" Center in Chișinău. The Center has hosted them since March 2023, when they decided to leave their home in Ukraine and seek safe shelter in the Republic of Moldova, where Natalia's mother and sister reside.Upon arriving in Moldova, they searched for a place they could call "home," even if only for a short time. "We searched for a long time before finding this Center, especially since I was already pregnant with Xenia at the time," Natalia explains.Natalia dedicates her days to caring for her two children, three-year-old Ivan and newborn Xenia."Before the war, our life in Ukraine was very peaceful," Natalia recalls with a distant look in her eyes. "We had an apartment in Tatarbunary, and later we moved to Odesa, where we managed to buy a house with everything we needed. I never thought I would have to leave that place".Although the journey to Chișinău was easier because the young family already had loved ones there, Natalia left behind her father and many close friends. "It was extremely hard to leave, and now we miss them, especially my dad. At that moment, though, we had no choice", she says with a trembling voice.Soon, the youngest member of the family, Xenia, was born. At childbirth, Natalia benefited from a one-time assistance of 20,000 lei, a financial support that has already been received by over 90,000 mothers, including 248 refugee women, since the start of the war in Ukraine."This financial aid practically saved us," says Natalia. "The money came exactly when we needed it the most. We bought clothes, toys, diapers, and other essentials for Xenia".Starting January 1, 2024, the one-time childbirth allowance was increased by 9,068 lei, from 10,932 to 20,000 lei. The increase in the one-time childbirth allowance is one of the measures outlined in the Government's activity program "Prosperous, Safe, European Moldova," aimed at supporting families and reducing child poverty. The one-time childbirth assistance is provided by the National House of Social Insurance and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection in partnership with UNICEF, with support from the Government of Switzerland. This allowance can also be accessed by refugee mothers from Ukraine who have registered for temporary protection in the Republic of Moldova.A day in the life of Natalia in Chișinău is simple but filled with love and sacrifice."I wake up early in the morning, feed Xenia, and then take care of Ivan. Sometimes we go for a walk in the park to enjoy the fresh air, but I miss our home in Ukraine, where I always felt safe and knew we were at home", she says, with a slight sadness in her voice.Still, the young mother hasn't stopped dreaming of a better future. "I would like to learn Romanian, so I can communicate well with the people in Moldova. It's hard, especially with a newborn, but I think that when Xenia grows up, I will be able to attend classes," she confesses.Although she still hopes that one day she and her family will be able to return to Ukraine, Natalia acknowledges that Moldova has now become a special place for them: "I would love to find a permanent place to live here, especially if we can't return home. Our dream is to sell the house in Odesa and buy a home here in Chișinău, or even outside the city".The one-time childbirth allowance was more than just material help for Natalia and her family – it was a sign of support, acceptance, and solidarity. "For all the mothers going through such situations, this financial help is very important. Children need so many things, especially when they are small, and this money allowed us to provide Xenia with everything necessary", says Natalia.Since the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine, over a million refugees have passed through Moldova, and currently, around 120,000 Ukrainians are in the country, including 52,000 children. The Government of the Republic of Moldova, UNICEF, and its partners have committed to responding to the protection needs of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Lilia Puzderi is 46. She was born in Hincesti, but 15 years ago the village of Borogani in Leova district became her second home and the place, from where she is making Moldova better. Lilia is one of the four women with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova who hold the position of counselor in the local public administration. If in childhood and adolescence she faced discrimination and marginalization, today she is convinced that disability is not a barrier to the realization of personal aspirations. In her opinion, the society we live in can become open to diversity and more inclusive, if people see positive examples of persons with disabilities involved and participating in the decision-making process, like she is. Lack of acceptance by society is a barrier to the inclusion of persons with disabilities Lilia was born into a family of cooks in Hincesti. Because of a trauma at birth, she has a locomotor disability. In a gentle voice and with much reconciliation, a sign that she has told the story thousand times, she describes her childhood experience: "I have infantile cerebral palsy with paraparesis. When I was a kid, the most complicated thing was to explain that it was not something contagious, that I could play with other kids without harming them. At times, however, I felt that my parents were also embarrassed having to explain to people "what Lilia has", confesses the protagonist overwhelmed by emotions.Employment gives you confidence and courageAt the age of 24 she got her first job, and that stage in life gave her a lot of confidence in her abilities and the courage to dream. Then another job followed, at the Family Doctors Center, as an operator. At the same time, she became a member of the "Pro Tineret" association from the former Lapusna county."I am still in that association. If before we it was difficult to encourage persons with disabilities to show off their talents and abilities, I feel things have changed significantly in the last ten years", confesses Lilia enthusiastically.15 years ago Lilia came to Borogani, Leova, for the first time. The village has become her second home and the place, from where she is making Moldova better.When she turned 30, Lilia met her husband, Alexander, they got married and settled in the village of Borogani. Alexandru had a small shoe repair shop, while Lilia got a job as a social worker with the local public authority.„I applied for the position and got it. I consider the Borogans welcomed me very warmly from the very beginning", remarks Lilia.She would pay home visits and try to solve various problems faced by the villagers.In 2019 she became a local councilor, and this position, which she still holds already for the second term, is an opportunity to change things for better in the village, as well as at the district level sometimes."When I was nominated for my first term as a councilor, I was afraid. It was a huge responsibility and I was afraid of disappointing people, or that they would be reluctant, because I wasn’t from their village and had a disability. But everyone around was very encouraging," Lilia said.Lilia is convinced that the trainings she has benefited from throughout this time in the field of civic engagement, inclusion, accessibility, gender equality, and human rights have built her capacity to attract investments in the village and have helped her to prove that persons with disabilities are equally competent, while the community only benefits by engaging them in decision-making and taking into account their opinions. „Our first interaction with Lilia took place in 2010. At that time, I was a school principal, and Lilia came up with the idea to partner up and organize an event dedicated to persons with disabilities. Over the years, she has organized and conducted several campaigns to support people from socially vulnerable families to be included in their communities. Full of initiative by nature, she has participated in many trainings on women's engagement in politics, thus becoming an increasingly powerful voice in the community. I have encouraged Lilia and supported her engagement in the decision-making process at all times. She is a fighter and defender of human rights; in particular, she stands for ensuring access to health care for persons with disabilities in the communities, as well as adapting all public institutions from the locality with ramps. She is involved in several national, territorial and local social projects. She is a member of the Advisory Commission on Education, Social Protection, Law, Culture, Tourism, Youth, Sports and Economic-Financial Issues of the Borogani Village Council. As mayor, I believe that engagement of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process is essential, as their life experience, knowledge and diversity can provide us with specific, efficient, and optimal solutions to the problems encountered by the communities. Therefore, I encourage other mayors to support engagement of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process, this is the only way we can facilitate building a friendly and inclusive community.”, told us Elena Savitchi, mayor of Borogani village.*** This story is part of the UN Moldova awareness raising campaign ”Stand for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities – No One Must Be Left Behind." An initiative that is part of the UN ongoing efforts to promote the inclusive and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all their diversity in decision-making processes at all levels. The story was developed with the financial support of the UN Human Rights Moldova within the project "Paradigm Shift to Disability Inclusive Services, Accountability and Governance in Moldova", implemented by UN Human Rights Moldova, UNDP Moldova, and UNICEF Moldova funded by to the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). The views expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the UN Human Rights or the UNPRPD.