Outcome MDA_D_1.1

By 2027, institutions deliver human rights, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services for all with the focus on those who are left behind (UNSDCG outcome 1)

The outcome has not been achieved, but Republic of Moldova has achieved important milestones in legal, policy and service provision during 2023. Parliament and Government approved the Law on the establishment of the first ever National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Agency) and the Regulation determining the direct accountability of the Agency to the Prime Minister, on 31 July and 29 November 2023 respectively. The National Agency has the mandate to coordinate the implementation of the national legislation, aligned with the provisions of the Council of Europe (CoE) Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (ratified in 2021) and the National Program on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence for the years 2023-2027 , approved on 31 May 2023. By leveraging its triple mandate, UN Women coordinated the support for the establishment of the Agency and jointly with UNFPA and in consultation with the national coalition of CSOs, provided policy advice and expert support in the development of the national programme. According to the national-level service records (police) on the situation of domestic violence in 2023, women survivors of violence received required protection: the number of women victims of domestic violence who received protection orders has increased in 2023 (540) compared to previous year (503) along with increase in reported and filled cases under law enforcement area with registered 1510 cases in 2023, compared with the 1274 in 2022. Victims of sexual violence have access to the first ever regional integrated service, opened in Moldova following Government Decision no. 508 issued on July 19 th which establishes the minimum standards for survivor-centric service provision. Seven women victims of sexual violence and 3 women victims of domestic violence accessed assistance at the first sexual assault centre in Ungheni since November 2023, when the service become available. These include immediate medical care, trauma support, forensic examinations and psychological assistance by qualified professionals, with a view to avoiding secondary victimisation. CoE GREVIO report to Moldova , released in November 2023 welcomed the establishment of the first Center and recommended to Government of the Republic of Moldova further expansion of such holistic support services to other regions and considering different forms of violence. The Specialist service was established after an inclusive process led by UN Women of co-creation of the model, standards and regulations that are aligned with COE standards and adjusted to the local context. With UN Women support, other 155 women survivors of gender-based violence received specialized assistance (psychological, legal, social support) and referral, as a result of services provided by several CSOs, in the reporting year. In 2023, more than 9,388 women and girls including from most under representative groups accessed prevention and humanitarian support after they were gained knowledge on how to access essential services for survivors of violence. This resulted from investing in capacity building for more than 697 duty bearers, services providers from different regions on delivering gender responsive services in prevention and multisectoral response; including awareness raising activities organized by UN Women The ToC for this outcome remains applicable. The strong partnership with government, civil society and development partners allowed UN Women to fully exercise its mandate by providing timely expertise in EVAW field aligned with international norms. UN Women Moldova remains committed to support the National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, to strengthen specialized services for survivors of violence, as well as the access to justice of women survivors, through continuous support to feminist movements, activist groups and women rights organizations, as well as men’s engagement in EVAW. The CO – as result of trust and partnership built with development partners secured 3.7 million USD for this Outcome in 2023 alone.

By 2027, institutions deliver human rights, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services for all with the focus on those who are left behind (UNSDCG outcome 1)

The Outcome has not yet been achieved, but substantial system-level progress was recorded. The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova passed landmark amendments that reshape national legal framework on violence against women and domestic violence . Law No. 252 (entering into force in February 2026) introduces femicide into the Criminal Code and criminalizes forced marriage, stalking, and digital violence, placing Moldova among the few countries that explicitly address technology-facilitated abuse. Together with Law No. 103 (adopted in May 2025), these reforms expand protective measures for survivors and establish a regulated psychological profession with clear standards and responsibilities, improving the quality and accountability of services available to women. Building on this strengthened legal foundation, national institutions deepened their capacities and operational leadership. In 205, two years since its establishment, the National Agency for Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GBV Agency) performed successfully as key coordinating institution on prevention, protection and prosecution of gender-based violence. The Agency introduced the first National Violence Prevention Model, that integrates social norms change with economic and social empowerment, inspired by WHO/UN Women “ RESPECT Women” framework. It partnered with international organizations, NGOs and practitioners for producing a unified learning curriculum for Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), establishing a national pool of trainers, as well as developing a coordinated data collection model and AI generated reporting tool. According to the national-level service records ( police ) a total of 1117 protection orders were issued in 2025, the majority of which concerned women survivors of violence, marking a slight increase compared to 1104 issued during the same period of previous year. For the same period, 796 cases of DV have been referred by police to specialized service providers. Progress at the service delivery level further gained momentum, enabling thousands of women and girls to access timely information, crisis support, legal aid and integrated specialist services. Through UN Women supported programming, more than 1839 women and girls from different regions of the country (including over 130 women survivors of violence and 70 women/girls with disabilities , 10 women and girls from Roma communities) actively engaged in prevention initiatives, accessed relevant information on their rights under amended national legislation and benefitted from specialized services. Among them, 39 victims of sexual violence benefited from the comprehensive services provided by the Regional Integrated Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in Ungheni, remaining a unique model across the country, already recognized by the GREVIO baseline evaluation as a promising approach for national replication. More than 77 per cent beneficiaries originated from rural areas, underscoring the critical importance of regionally accessible specialized services. 172 women affected by violence from the regions of Balti (north) Gagauzia (center) and Cahul (south) received qualified legal aid (out of which 67 assisted in court), and 24 women at risk, including survivors of violence, benefitted from economic empowerment programs and employment support. Major public mobilization to end domestic violence and violence against women was witnessed across the country. Broad range of stakeholders, including public institutions, civil society organizations, service providers, media and influencers joined the 16 days of Activism Campaign launched in Chisinau, Balti, Cahul, Drochia mobilizing more than 3000 people marching to end VAW. More than 2.5 million people engaged with UN Women social media campaign “No excuse for digital abuse”, while over 600 men and boys took part in prevention initiatives by promoting GE, healthy relationships, respectful attitudes. 10 religious leaders acted in communities mobilizing youth and followers to promote dialogue on mutual respect, equality and nonviolence. Leveraging its triple mandate, UN Women was at the forefront of these achievements, providing technical and expert support to legal reforms and working closely with UNFPA and UNICEF to strengthen the National GBV Agency, including development of the national prevention model, MDT training curricula, and coordinated data and AIbased reporting systems. UN Women continued to support the CSO service providers in offering comprehensive support to survivors, including legal aid and economic empowerment. Lastly, UN Women enhanced the partnership with religious leaders, i.e. the Orthodox church and with the National Youth Council to increase prevention in communities. The above-mentioned results contribute to the implementation of the Objectives 1.3, 1.5 and 2.1 of the National Programme on Prevention and Combatting VAW and DV 2023-2027 to nationalized SDG 5.2. targets, as well as to CEDAW Recommendation 23 to the 6th periodic report to the Republic of Moldova.

By 2027, institutions deliver human rights, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services for all with the focus on those who are left behind (UNSDCG outcome 1)

The Outcome was not achieved, but notable progress was recorded by national institutions in ensuring coordinated multisectoral approach and gender responsive provision of services to victims of gender-based violence (GBV). In 2024, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova approved the Law No. 231 amending the legislation on prevention and combating of domestic violence (DV) ( No. 45/2007 ) and introducing for the first time provisions on femicide, as the most severe form of violence. The amended law also encompassed provisions related to the responsibilities of the designated specialists, to the functioning of the specialist services, but also to the mandate of the National Agency on Prevention and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GBV Agency) as central coordinating body responsible for coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and measures to prevent and combat all forms of violence. In 2024, following the legal amendments, the first National Coordination Council for prevention and combating GBV was established to serve as an advisory body to the GBV Agency. The normative and institutional improvements were also matched with concrete efforts undertaken in 2024 to strengthen women’s access to protection and specialized services. According to the national-level service records ( police ) the number of women survivors of violence who received protection orders during the 2024 has increased (1042) compared to the same period of the previous year (751). For the same period, 5625 cases of DV have been referred by police for the provision of assistance and counseling services, compared to 3957 cases referred throughout the whole year 2023. UN Women attribution to these results was throuth a total of 736 women and girls from different regions of the country (including 200 women survivors of violence and 48 women/girls with disabilities) who increased their knowledge on their rights and available gender-responsive specialized services. Fifty- eight victims of sexual violence and DV benefited for the first time from comprehensive package of quality services made available through the first Regional Integrated Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in Ungheni. The range of services encompasses medical, psychological and legal assistance, including facilitating hearings with audio-video recording and development of psychological assessment reports. In 80% of cases, victims received immediate emergency assistance within the first four days following the sexual assault. Over 80% of the victims were from rural areas of those six targeted districts, which underscores the importance of the provision of regionally accessible specialized services. This initiative marks a significant milestone in fulfilling the Republic of Moldova’s commitments under the Istanbul Convention, as highlighted in the first GREVIO baseline evaluation report . Three government-managed centers for socially vulnerable citizens in the regions of Balti, Causeni and Stefan Voda (north -center and south of the country) expanded their capacities and services to provide specialized assistance to survivors of GBV and their children in safer environment. A total of 736 women and girls from different regions of the country (including 200 women survivors of violence and 48 women/girls with disabilities) increased their knowledge on their rights and available gender-responsive specialized services. Leveraging its triple mandate, UN Women, jointly with CSOs partners La Strada and Women Law Center, played pivotal role in providing extensive technical and expert support to the Parliament for the legislative amendments, including data and evidence on femicide cases , and to the Government for the expansion, quality and access of specialized services. The CO ensured continued expert advice and assistance to the GBV Agency and MLSP in capacitation of the newly appointed staff and GBV specialists, as well as in outreaching local grassroots organizations and women in communities. The above-mentioned results contribute to the implementation of the Objectives 1.3, 1.5 and 2.1 of the National Programme on Prevention and Combatting VAW and DV 2023-2027 to nationalized SDG 5.2. targets, as well as to CEDAW Recommendation 23 to the 6th periodic report to the Republic of Moldova. The ToC for this outcome remains applicable. The CO remains committed to support the national stakeholders in strengthening and expanding the specialized services for survivors of violence, as well as in facilitating the access to justice and economic empowerment of women survivors.