The Cabinet approved the program to promote and ensure equality between women and men in the Republic of Moldova for 2023-2027. The program aims to significantly increase gender quality in areas relevant to the European Moldova Agenda 2023, such as health, education, the labor market, IPN reports.

The document centers on five general objectives aimed at reducing the gender pay gap, increasing social protection for persons involved in long-term care for family members by creating new support services and promoting women in administrative posts and in the decision-making process. The number of men who would promote gender equality is to be increased.

Felicia Bechtoldt, secretary of state of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, said that over 500 employers will be informed and urged to take measures to ensure the principle of equal pay for work of equal value until 2027. The men will be encouraged to more actively take part in care, educational activities and other feminized sections of the labor market.

In terms of gender equality, the Republic of Moldova has a score of 62 out of 100 points possible. Over the last ten years, Moldova climbed only five spots in the rankings, with the most significant progress being made in 2021 owing to the increase in the number of women elected to Parliament.