Region:Asia Pacific
Current UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
outcome XM-DAC-41146-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.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-MDA_D_1.2
By 2027, a more accountable, and transparent, human rights-based, and gender-responsive governance empower all people of Moldova to participate in and to contribute to development processes. ( UNSDCF Outcome 2)
The Outcome was not achieved, but important progress has been already recorded in the first year of implementation of the Strategic Note. The Government significantly strengthened national legal and policy frameworks for advancing gender equality in Moldova in 2023. Thus, the Government adopted five (5) key policy frameworks: National Programme for Accelerating Progress on Gender Equality , National Programme for Preventing and Combating of Violence Against Women and Girls , National Programme for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, National Programme for Women in Business and Public Finance Management (PFM) Strategy for 2023-2030 . The new PFM strategy introduces, for the first time, a systemic approach towards the integration of gender equality principles in the budget cycle. The above listed were among the nine conditionalities of Moldova’s EU candidacy status, which Moldova fulfilled and was admitted to start the EU accession negotiations in December 2023. UN Women Moldova provided expert support in drafting the framework documents, engaged in consistent advocacy with national institutions and development partners, and facilitated broad consultations prior to their adoption. Moldova’s public policies adopted in 2022-2023 registered a moderate increase in gender-responsiveness by 0.98 points reaching a score of 1.86 (out of 4 as highest scoring) compared to 0.88 in 2015-2016, according to the “ Gender Mainstreaming in public policies index” produced by a national think tanks (the Center for Partnership Development). UN Women collaborated with national institutions and UN Agencies in supporting the co-creation and extensive consultations to facilitate the balanced inclusion of women and men’s needs in 6 of the total 17 assessed policies, which scored highest on gender mainstreaming under the Index. This includes the 1325 NAP, the national security program, Youth, Education and Employment programs, and the National Development Strategy “Moldova 2030”. The Parliament strengthened its gender responsive lawmaking and oversight in 2023 thanks to the leadership of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus supported by UN Women along with UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP. The consultations and public hearings hosted by the Women’s Caucus around the National Programmes on Gender Equality and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls facilitated their inclusive adoption. More women are encouraged to stand for elections, including from under-represented groups, as a result of the “Women run” campaign initiated by the Women’s Caucus, which complemented UN Women’s efforts. Women parliamentarians engaged in joint advocacy, leading to the ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on preventing workplace harassment and violence. Furthermore, the Women’s Caucus enhanced legislative oversight over the implementation of the Equal Pay legislation adopted in 2022Women notably enhanced their meaningful participation in democratic processes. In the 2023 Local Elections in Moldova, 146 of the 301 women (49%) trained under the UN Women Political Leadership and Candidate Curriculum, entered the electoral race with 55% of them, including two women with disabilities, successfully getting elected. The Government of Moldova enhanced its ability to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) through a data availability assessment of 337 nationalized SDG indicators. The analysis revealed data availability for 64% (215) of all SDG indicators, partial availability for 14% (48) and lack of data for 22% (74). From the 137 gender-sensitive indicators, data is available or 56.2% (77), partially available for 23.4% (32), and missing data for 20.4% (28). The assessment, the Roadmap to address the SDG data gaps, and the Instructions for data providers were developed by the National Bureau of Statistics with UN Women and UNICEF support. The original strategy and ToC for this outcome remain largely applicable. The policy documents adopted in 2023 will expand women’s participation in decision-making, especially in security and conflict negotiations, improve financial access and enhance protection from violence for women and girls. The strong partnership with government, civil society and development partners allowed UN Women to fully exercise its mandate by providing timely gender expertise aligned with global norms. Leveraging Moldova’s EU integration momentum and the strong recognition of UN Women as the GE agency delivering successfully on its triple mandate, the CO managed to secure additional 2.5 million USD already in 2023 for implementation of the Governance outcome. This will enable the office to make a lasting contribution to improving the lives of women and girls in Moldova in the coming years.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-MDA_D_1.3
By 2027, all people of Moldova, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from inclusive, competitive and sustainable economic development and equal access to decent work and productive employment. (UNSDCF Outcome 3)
The outcome has not been achieved, but government institutions enhanced the normative and policy framework, to advance women’s economic empowerment and improved their access to decent work. Main results for 2023 are as follows: The Government approved the National Program for childcare services for children under 3 years ( Government Decision n. 572 ) to improve women’s access to labor market and decent work. UN Women, leveraging on its coordination mandate, lead joint efforts with UNFPA and UNICEF to provide direct policy advice and expert assistance in the legal amendments, including providing the cost-benefit analysis of investment in childcare. Over 400 women and men at the National Inspectorate of Police and the private company Conteyor in Causeni now have childcare services within their workplaces, enhancing work-life balance and career advancement. All these efforts are expected to increase the number and retention of women employed within the public security system. Women have improved access to decent work in Moldova due to increased investment in alternative childcare and joint collaboration of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and the National Fund for Regional and Local Development. 36 women initiated new businesses, while 182 expanded existing ones , experiencing a collective turnover increase of 1 million MDL. Business support programs, national and international fairs, and financial assistance contributed to their success, fostering both business and personal development. Women refugees from Ukraine have access to business support, livelihood and employment programmess, alongside with financial assistance through cash for work and vouchers for children, extended by UN Women and by fostering partnerships with local entrepreneurs for enhancing resilience during crisis . T o enhace women entrepreneurs access to resources, UN Women supported the Ministry of Economy to develop new program for women's entrepreneurship development, which was approved in November 2023 and will be implemented by the Organisation for Entrepreneurship Development. As a result of the establishment of the Business Incubator by Chisinau municipality, mentoring has been provided to 30 women-led businesses, while opportunities for women from vulnerable groups, including young girls and migrants, have been enhanced through access to business trainings and financial support. The incubator now offers co-working space, information access, and various events, further facilitating the growth and empowerment of women entrepreneurs in the community. 69 women, including Ukrainian refugee women, have better opportunities to access the labor market, with new acquired skills in Social Media Marketing and Software Testing after graduating from Women in Online Work Programme. 42 women refugees integrated into the labor market through the Cash for Work program, and 35 advanced in careers. Around 3000 pupils, including 25 child refugees, have advanced IT knowledge, following the creation of two modern digital labs in Causeni and Balti established by UN Women, to ensure inclusive and supportive education for girls pursuing STEM and IT careers. The ToC remains applicable. Due to improved legislation on child care services, flexible working hours, paternity leave, and t ailored programmes, such as for women entrepreneurship, women’s labor force participation rate increased with 3.8 % in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same periods of the previous year (from 38.0 % to 41.8%). Government institutions, civil society and private sector are further committed to advance on gender equality and women economic empowerment. UN Women Moldova remains committed to contribute to inclusive, competitive and sustainable economic development and equal access to decent work and productive employment of women and girls from Republic of Moldova, especially the most vulnerable. The CO manged to secure 2.8 ml. USD for this outcome in 2023.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-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 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.Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Disclaimer and notes
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
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