In 2022, the United Nations in Moldova spent $40 million on programs and projects that span across all Sustainable Development Goals, with the largest share of expenditures being directed towards SDGs concerning fighting of poverty, good health and well-being, gender equality, sustainable cities and communities, peace, justice and strong institutions, IPN reports, quoting a press release of UN Moldova.
“Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the war in Ukraine in 2022, the United Nations in Moldova, formed of 26 UN agencies, funds, programs and other UN entities, together with its partners, made progress in all four strategic directions of its work, by advancing human rights and gender equality, strengthening institutional and governance capacities, improving access to decent work and enhancing local services and infrastructure, improving the quality of education, health services, and social assistance, and promoting climate change resilience.
“The war in Ukraine required significant adjustments in how the United Nations worked in the Republic of Moldova in 2022. Our aim was to ensure that support was provided not only to refugees but also to host communities and host families, addressing existing development challenges in a manner that also prevented tensions from developing between the refugee population and the receiving communities,” said Simon Springett, Resident Coordinator of UN in Moldova.
The year of 2022 culminated with important achievements in the field of official statistics, to which UN Moldova has contributed significantly under the UNPFSD 2018-2022. Apart from this, 60 national and local CSOs evaluated over 300 human rights recommendations issued by international human rights monitoring bodies. Roma community mediators’ network on both banks of Nistru River was consolidated. At the same time a number of 8 additional youth centers enlarged the National Network of Youth Centers to 52 entities (5 of which fully accessible) across the country, providing different opportunities for young people to develop and participate in civic life. More than 35 thousand young women and men increased knowledge on active citizenship and civic participation, personal development, gender equality and women empowerment.
Considerate progress was made in the field of sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth, which led to: 425 MSMEs having been created, expanded, or having strengthened their economic resilience, out of which 101 women. About 380,000 people benefited from enhanced public infrastructure and 1000 jobs were created or maintained, with more than half going to women.
With the United Nations’ technical and policy support, citizens now have enhanced access to, and ensured continuity of, health services, including essential health services, perinatal, sexual and reproductive health services, and the emergency care system. About 700,000 people from vulnerable groups benefited from different health services, while 191 children with disabilities benefitted from Early Childhood Intervention Services.
