Outcome MDA_D_1.4

By 2027 state and non-state actors coordinate and deliver commitments on gender equality and women's empowerment across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. (UNSDCF Outcome 2)

This outcome has not been fully achieved, but significant progress has been made due to UN Women leveraging its coordination mandate across the UNCT’s development, peace, and humanitarian sectors to integrate gender perspectives into program design and implementation. The UNCT improved public access to gender equality (GE) data by developing a gender profile module within the CCA dashboard , linked to the Gender Pulse Platform of the National Bureau of Statistics, which informs progress on the 2030 Agenda through UN programming. The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and the GTG monitored UN Programming’s GE impact through the Gender Marker coding, accessible via the UNCT Joint Workplan Dashboard . This stronger accountability toward GE outcomes led to improved UN performance assessments, with the UNCT Moldova meeting/exceeding 11 of 15 UNCT SWAP GE Scorecard indicators, achieving 73% success (down from 86.6% in 2023). This sets higher targets for 2025 via the GE Action Plan. The Gender Task Force (GTF) under the Refugee Coordination Forum ensured gender-sensitive approaches in the Moldova Refugee Response Plan (RRP) 2025–2027. These actions, informed by broad consultations, focus group discussions, the 2023 Gender, Age, and Disability Analysis, and a Gender Analysis of the Labor Market Assessment for Ukrainian Refugees, addressed the distinct needs of diverse groups. Around 7,638 individuals, including 7,314 women, 90 girls, 20 boys, and 214 men (51% from rural areas, with 2,167 being refugees), improved their employability by acquiring new skills and competencies, engaged in leadership initiatives to enable women's participation in local policy making and engaging in social cohesion and peacebuilding initiatives that facilitate their integration in Moldovan society. Among these, 320 Roma local and refugee women (98%) became more resilient, improved their ability to cope with stress, and developed a supportive environment through individual psychological counseling and referrals. 11 refugee women launched businesses after completing entrepreneurship programs and receiving grants through the “Women with Vision” contest, organized by local NGOs with WPHF funding. Additional 5,552 people (3,382 women, 2,270 men) from 55 localities in the Security Zone from both banks of Nistru/Dniester river designed and actively led 12 peacebuilding initiatives aiming at fostering dialogue and strengthening social cohesion among communities. The initiatives encompassed establishment of common community and childcare spaces, joint culture events promoting local tourism and gastronomy, sports competitions, and demonstrated the difference women in communities make when undertaking leadership or meaningful roles in peacebuilding efforts. Furthermore, 78 young people (56 women, 22 men) from 22 localities on both banks of Nistru/Dniester river established the first Youth Peacebuilders Network (YPN) and engaged in dialogue with national and international decision makers and mediators to advocate for implementation of the women and youth peace and security agenda and peaceful conflict resolution in Moldova. 101 human rights activists and peacebuilders (64 women, 37 men) from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova (including Transnistrian region) and Ukraine, convened and hosted by Moldovan activists and stakeholders, identified common actions for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS), to strengthen collaboration in conflict prevention, in peacebuilding, and in gender responsive recovery as summarized in a Joint Statement. In Moldova’s security and defense sectors, led by the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Defense, significant progress under NAP UNSCR 1325 included integrating gender provisions into the National Defense Strategy (2024–2034), appointing – for the first time ever- six female regional police commissioners, and increasing women’s participation in foreign peacekeeping missions by 39%. All of the above was possible due to the technical assistance provided by UN Women and the direct partnership of the CO with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with more than 15 local led women’s and grassroots organizations and due to the funding from the UN Women, Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), the UN Women National Committees, the UN Peacebuilding fund, as well as the Governments of Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland.

By 2027 state and non-state actors coordinate and deliver commitments on gender equality and women's empowerment across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. (UNSDCF Outcome 2)

This outcome has progressed. The UNCT is progressively increasing its accountability and performance towards gender equality . The UN Resident Coordina tor’s Off ice and Gender Theme Group monitor regularly the Gender Markers’ coding and is publicly accessible through the UNCT JWP Dashboard . In 2023, 1 5 3 out of 15 performance indicators (86,6%) “met or exceeded” minimum requirements under the UNCT SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard which is a 10% increase compared to 2022. UN Women, jointly with the RCO coordinated the activities related to the UNCT SWAP Gender Scorecard Implementation and Reporting. In the context of humanitarian action, 42,327 individuals (28,195 women and girls, 14,132 men and boys), including 17,206 Ukrainian refugees (11,157 women, 1,491 girls, 3,296 men, 1,262 boys) accessed information, goods, and resources in line with the Government commitment to provide protection and UN accountability towards ensuring gender responsive assistance. This represents a little over 14% of the total refugee population staying in Moldova in 2023 and includes assistance addressing a variety of distinct needs of women, men, girls and boys, including protection and child protection (32.2% of beneficiaries), GBV (22%), basic needs (17%), inclusion and livelihoods (16.7%), education (6.5%), health (3% of beneficiaries), and other. 22 local women’s organizations received funding from Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, while other 16 from the US Department of State, Sweden, Swiss Development Cooperation and the Government of Japan, as the result of UN Women advocacy and technical support, further contributing to localisation of the response by sub-partnering with another 109 grassroots CSOs. Overall, the refugee response actors in Moldova delivered assistance that better targets the distinct needs of women, girls, men and boys in all their diversity and formulate a gender-sensitive Refugee Response Plan (RRP) for 2024 . This was achieved, as result of gender mainstreaming efforts ensured by the Gender Task Force, led by UN Women and the Platform for Gender Equality, under the Refugee Coordination Forum and in close collaboration of UN Women with UNHCR. The progress on delivering gender sensitive humanitarian assistance is evidenced through the localized Gender Accountability Framework (GAF) report demonstrating a strong commitment of humanitarian actors in Moldova to addressing gender issues with 44% of GAF criteria being fully met and 47% being partially met. Additional efforts and funding are required though to ensure that 100% of the criteria are fully met in the years to come. The second generation National Programme and Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security was endorsed by the Government in 2023 with specific objectives to increase women’s meaningful participation in the security and defense sectors, and conflict negotiations. UN Women provided extensive expert assistance in the consultative drafting and costing of the five-year NAP and supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the coordination and implementation of the plan, affirmed through a MoU signed in May 2023. Concurrently, women and youth enhanced their engagement in gender responsive peacebuilding actions through several flagship initiatives supported by UN Women on both banks of Nistru river. The Women’s Advisory Board (WAB) members (14) jointly produced, with UN Women expert assistance, two position papers on civil documentation and women’s access to entrepreneurship programmes, both expected to be presented to negotiating parties in 2024. Concurrently, 47 women members of the 3 Women’s Discussion Platforms on the left bank implemented 6 (six) community initiatives advancing social cohesion, including with refugees, as a result of leadership coaching conducted by Un Women in partnership with Centre Resonance. Notably, two of the Platforms started registration procedures as women’s rights organizations in 2023, while 6 women-led CSOs from both banks active in peacebuilding were supported by UN Women institutionally, adopting gender-sensitive internal policies and organizational systems through a small grants programme. 42 young people (25 women, 17 men) from both banks developed 8 innovative digital peacebuilding solutions to bolster cross-river social dialogue, 3 of which will be supported by UN Women in 2024 under the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) project implemented jointly with UNDP and OHCHR. In addition, championing gender and youth responsive peacebuilding efforts positioned UN Women as a lead actor supporting country’s Women, Peace and Security. The original ToC and strategy for Outcome 4 remain largely valid. The consistent engagement with women’s organizations, humanitarian actors, development partners and Government enabled UN Women to broker multi-stakeholder partnerships to advance gender-responsive actions across different sectors. Ultimately, this strong positioning enabled UN Women CO to mobilize 1,2 million USD for this outcome in 2023 alone.