Outcome MDA_D_3.1

Parliament and Government adopt and implement laws, policies and strategies to prevent violence against women and girls and deliver quality essential services

Although substantive progress has been recorded, the Outcome has been partially achieved. Legal and policy milestones have been attained while the delivery of quality essential services for women and girls require additional investments. Women survivors of violence received better protection from law enforcement officials in 2022 as the number of emergency barring orders issued, increased by almost three times since 2017. (5,907 Protection Order (PO) in 2022, 2,161 PO in 2017). Women and girls feel more empowered and safer as a result of the increased number of the personalized safety plans issued by law enforcement (,4843 in 2022 in comparison with previous year 3,920). 460 women survivors of violence from Cahul, Ungheni, Telenesti, Soroca, Balti, Telenesti, Stefan-Voda and Hincesti were assisted and referred to the essential services through NGO and public service providers, out of which 14 women survivors got jobs and started a new business. This is a result of the important legislative changes, holistic communication campaigns and capacity building for service providers, including development of local referral mechanisms in Violence Against Women (VAW) supported by UN Women in collaboration with Central and Local Public Authorities (LPAs) , responsible partners, other CSOs and stakeholders in the field. The new legal framework ( law #316 ) which covers all the important provisions UN Women has been working on, was approved by the Parliament in November 2022, thus building on previous legal amendments, aiming to combat violence against women and girls in line with Istanbul Convention, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) , and Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The amendments aimed to ensure better protection for victims of gender-based violence, with particular focus on sexual violence, from justice and law enforcement perspective. This was coupled with the approval and roll out of the Intersectoral protocol for coordinated response on VAW. In addition, the development of the first ever specialized service in Ungheni for victims of sexual violence is in progress. Two standard operating procedures (SOpS) are under Government approval and the construction works of the premises for the specialized service have been finalized. Ministry of Labour and Social Protection approved the draft concept for the new Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) National Program on meeting the needs of women and girls' survivors of gender-based violence, which was informed by the Evaluation reports of the 1 st national strategy for prevention and combating VAW and DV for 2018-2022, both supported by UN Women in partnership with national NGO’s expertise coupled with CoE international expertise. Along with that, 5 small-scale programs on economic empowerment of women survivors of violence have been co-created and piloted in selected districts. MLSP and National Social Assistance Agency have available an E-learning course for social assistants on addressing and referring cases of violence against women, which will be compulsory as of January 2023. 61 people are registered and benefiting from the course by now. Over 658 professionals (518 women, 140 men) from more than 22 regions (including service providers, members of Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs), educational specialists, local public authorities' representatives, football coaches, church leaders, etc.) have knowledge to respond to cases of DV, VAW; combat gender stereotypes and advance favorable social norms. Parliamentary standing Committee for Social Protection, Health and Family has an initial draft law on psychological activity in the Republic of Moldova, supported by UNW, to be presented for public consultations beginning of 2023. The Ministry of Education and Research has available an optional course „Harmonious relations in the family" for the students in grade 8 and 9, developed by a national NGO with support of UN Women, which responds to the provisions of IC on prevention of VAW, DV. Over 69 institutions and CSOs from different regions of the country have strengthened capacities in GE and EVAW through capacity development, funding, technical assistance, including on the optional course on harmonious relationships; on use of the VR innovative tool developed previously by UN Women, on violence prevention in secondary schools supported by IP, UNICEF. Over 7,000 women from vulnerable groups (over 1,000 women victims and survivors of violence, 648 women with disabilities, 561 WLHIV, 912 elderly women, 469 single mothers, 403 women from Roma community, women refugees, other women in situations of risk) from different regions of the country have increased their knowledge and skills to exercise their rights and access available services as a result of various type of support offered by UN Women and responsible partners through capacity building, mentorship, public discussions, coupled with essential kits distribution. Last but not least, over 2,261 youth (over 1,326 girls/young women, 933 boys/young men, 2 gender diverse persons) from over 22 regions of the country have enhanced their capacity and skills on harmonious relationships, gender equality issues and ways of preventing gender-based violence (GBV) due to informative sessions using virtual reality tool, optional course integrated in the educational curriculum and other interventions implemented/supported by UN Women and responsible partners. In overall 1,400,000 interactions have been reached on social media (views, likes, etc) by the communication campaigns messages on gender equality, positive social norms, and prevention of GBV conducted by UN Women and partners. The implementation of the improved legislative framework on EVAW aligned to IC will yet require additional investments on development and providing quality essential services for women and girls survivors of violence. As the 2022 was the last year of the Strategic Plan of 2018-2022 the new SN TOC (2023-2027) was established based on the experience gained from the previous SN implementation as well as lessons learned and country's national priorities. The TOC

Parliament and Government adopt and implement laws, policies and strategies to prevent violence against women and girls and deliver quality essential services

The outcome was not fully achieved. However, important legal and policy milestones have been attained in the Republic of Moldova, during 2021. The Parliament ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Elimination of Violence against Women, including domestic violence (IC) on October 14, 2001, on the basis of the Government decision n. 221 from September 30, 2021 and in line with the CEDAW Recommendation n. 23, issued in 2020. Following the Ratification, the Government a) included in its Action plan for 2021-2022 the submission of the 2nd draft package of criminal legislation to Parliament by May 2022, which would complete the cycle of on-going normative amendments; and b) endorsed the Intersectoral protocol on EVAW, to be adopted in early 2022. At regional level, the District Council of Ungheni, adopted the Regulation for the establishment of the first ever specialized service for victims of sexual violence. While violence against women and girls continue to persist, women survivors received better protection by law enforcement officials in 2021 as the number of protection orders issued increased by 11,80% with regards the previous year (5851 PO in 2021, 4939 in 2020, 4250 in 2019, 3877 in 2018, 2161 in 2017). Women and girls feel more empowered and increasingly report cases of violence, including sexual violence, since the reported cases in 2021 increased by 7,22% in comparison to the previous year (360 cases in 2020 and 578 in 2021). In 2021, over 17.000 women were reached through a nation-wide shared video reflecting on the available Essential services for women victims of violence and 920.000 of inhabitants were reached by electricity bills envisaging a message encouraging people facing gender-based violence or those who know people facing gender-based violence to report cases or to request help from 112 helpine. In 2021, 240 women from vulnerable groups, out of which 12 women survivors from Cahul and Ungheni regions, were assisted and referred to the essential services through NGO service providers; 64 women survivors of violence a) empowered trough art therapy sessions and b) advised on the available services and income generating activities. These important achievements have been possible due to the persistent and continuous engagement of UN Women in advocacy, provision of technical assistance and capacity development as well as from the strong partnership with the Parliament, with the central Government and local level authorities, the women survivors, the CSO service providers, the private sector, and development partners, in particular through the financial support of Sweden and the EU. UN Women – based on the CEDAW Recommendations –contributed significantly to the ratification process of the IC by leading the UNCT and partnering with Council of Europe and the CSO Coalition “Life without violence” in tailored advocacy since 2018, by establishing strong partnership with Parliament and Government, by providing expert and policy support on the legal gaps within the national legislation vis-à-vis IC as well as extensive policy support to a wide range of national stakeholders. UN Women contributed to the strengthening of capacities of service providers through intensive and tailor-made trainings delivered to 344 police officers and 82 service providers from the Multidisciplinary teams. Last but not least, UN Women partnered with the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau (CoE) and the National Coalition “Life without Violence” on several joint advocacy and communication campaign, including 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, by engaging and giving voice directly to women survivors and targeting over 1000 parliamentarians, government officials and stakeholders, service providers , as well as by organizing round tables and public events and initiatives of social corporate responsibility, driven by the private sector. Based on the progress made to date, the original strategy and theory of change for this outcome is still valid and applicable. UN Women will continue to support the Government in a) the legislative amendments so as it ensures the complete reflection of global norms and standards, b) the accessibility and quality of specialist services, in c) supporting the networking of women survivors of violence so that a real impact on the lives of the estimated 1,405 million women and girls in the country subject to all forms of violence is improved.