Outcome MDA_O_1

Ensuring an accountable organization through Principled Performance

The UN Women Country Office (CO) in Moldova ensured effective delivery of programme results by maintaining strong operational oversight and full alignment with corporate requirements, while also managing Belarus-related activities remotely with the support of a local consultant. Core business processes remained compliant, including updated security risk management documentation, an up-to-date Business Continuity Plan reflecting staffing and office changes, and timely asset verification. Month-end closures, audit-readiness checks, and compliance across finance, procurement, and human resources were consistently upheld, reinforcing operational integrity and accountability. Building on this solid operational foundation, the CO maintained strong donor accountability through the submission of nine reports to five key partners—EU, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and WPHF. While the indicator showed 77 per cent of reports submitted on time, delays were limited to projects implemented under alternative administrative arrangements, such as the SDC-funded Women Supporting Women project and the Belarus sustainable development budgeting initiative, and resulted from administering agent or HQ-level processes rather than CO non-compliance. This ensured accurate performance tracking and preserved the credibility of the office’s reporting record. Performance oversight was further strengthened through continuous monitoring of delivery and utilization rates, regular sharing of delivery reports with staff, and structured follow-up through weekly management and operations meetings. Partner implementation was systematically monitored through site visits, programme events, online coordination meetings, and quarterly reporting, with all five responsible partners receiving unqualified audit results. Remote oversight arrangements ensured continuity of Belarus activities despite distance-based management. These practices were validated by the UN Women Internal Audit Service, which conducted an internal audit of the Moldova Country Office between October and December 2025. The audit confirmed strong strategic positioning, effective programme and partner management, timely and high-quality donor reporting, a robust management structure, and full mobilization of planned resources under the Strategic Note, resulting in an overall audit rating of Satisfactory .

Ensuring an accountable organization through Principled Performance

CO Office strengthened and improved its results, the overall managerial, programmatic, operational, financial and administrative support functions being ensured. The Belarus UN Women presence is also covered by Moldova CO (as Non-physical presence NPP) with a local consultant supporting in implementation of activities. Moldova CO representative attended some Belarus UNCT meetings and coordinate the work of the local consultant who support in implementation of the activities from a joint UNCT project under the SDG Fund. UN Women support the component related to the gender responsive governance in Belarus. More details reflected in the attached note. The CO submitted 22 Narrative and Financial donor reports on due time to the donors (European Commission, Swedish Int'l Development Cooperation; Government of Sweden; Government of Netherlands; MPTF-SDG Fund; UNDP; Government of Japan). Other five donor agreement was signed by the CO this year with EU (EVOLVE4GE, EU4GE), Sweden, Denmark and Japan amounted at about 14 million USD. UN Women NPP in Belarus support UNCT and managed to register modest progress in notably highly challenging political context. Belarus strengthened their national capacity on GRB and supported national dialogue on the topic within Joint UN Programme “Promoting new tools of sustainable development budgeting that prioritize vulnerable population in Belarus” implemented with the financial support of UN Joint SDG Fund. 19 stakeholders representing Ministries of Economy, Labor and Social Protection, National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, profile research institutions increased their knowledge on gender responsive policy planning and budgeting, learned about step-by-step methodology for conducting gender analyses and its practical application on selected state programme, discussed some of the gender gaps in Belarus and to what extent current programs are addressing these gaps during the off line training on 16-17 th of February, 2023. Further participants (19) learned about practical experience of GRB implementation in Serbia (mainstreaming gender in PFM and budgetary programmes) during the study visit (27-28 March 2023). UN Women used momentum to start the dialogue with national institution on gender mainstreaming in new cycle of state programmes for 2026-2030 within core funding received in the middle of 2023. T he Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and Ministry of Economy of Belarus has i ncreased capacities to identify the existing gender disparities in the sectors and enhanced knowledge on how programmatically these gaps can be tackle d these gaps , following the gender analyses of two state programmes “Employment and Labour Market” and “Small and Medium Entrepreneurship” for 2021-2025 , conducted as a result of the extensive support provided by UN Women. The external evaluation committed by the Trust Fund after the closure completion of the JP SDG indicated that established cooperation between UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women) helped UNCT to synchronise strategies aimed at promoting new tools of sustainable development budgeting that prioritize vulnerable populations in Belarus. For coordination on cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, commitment from lead ministries was critical. Specialists from different sectors increased their knowledge on GRB, created a network of partners, and line ministries further engaged in gender analyses of the state programme and ensured GRB incorporation into new state programme cycle to ensure sustainability. This was a result of the MLSP taking the leading role in coordinating with other line ministries to ensured engagement of the specialists. In the frame of UNCT, CCA 2023 was updated, under the RCO leadership through gender length with UN Women technical support. SWAP Annual Progress report 2023 - coordinated by RCO and UN Women - demonstrated improvement of rating of 2 performance indicators (PI 4.3 and 2.3) and priority areas that need additional attention including adequate allocation and tracking of resources for gender equality (PI 6.1). UN Women co-chairs with UNFPA the Results group on Gender Equitable Society. Over 100 UN Belarus personnel raised awareness on PSEA during thematic awareness-raising refresher training organised by RCO, UNAIDS, UN Women, UNFPA, and IOM on 14 th of December 2023.

Ensuring an accountable organization through Principled Performance

The overall managerial, programmatic, operational, financial and administrative support functions for the CO Moldova was ensured during the reporting period for delivery of results and funds. The implementation rate for regular resources - 86 percent and for the other resoutces it stand at 90 percent. CO is on track with alignment of its business processes to ensure compliance to UN Women Rules and regulations. The security risk forms have been revised and updated, as required. Compliance to Financial Procurement, HR rules and regulations is ensured. 2024 Partner`s Audit successfully finalized, and all audit reports (19) have received an unmodified opinion. The expenditure verification for the project “Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni districts” revealed no financial findings, highlighting the project's adherence to strict financial management practices and compliance with established guidelines. This result underscores the office’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and effective fund utilization in delivering impactful outcomes. The annul work plan for 2025 revised after the regional Office (RO) peer revision and re-submitted on due time. The monitoring of the annual work plan ensured during the year. All donor reports (15 in total, incl. 9 narrative and 6 financial) submitted on due time do the Donors (EU, SIDA, MDTF, US Department of State, Swiss Agency for Development, Government of Japan, Government of Sweden) and uploaded in DAMS. https://dams-oneapp.unwomen.org/Search/ReportingCommitment .