About 25% of the children in Moldova have by at least one parent working abroad, Nune Mangasaryan, UNICEF Representative in Moldova, said in a press club meeting staged by the Journalistic Investigations Center on July 27, IPN reports.

“We cannot present precise data, but a UNICEF study shows that 5% of the children in Moldova have both of the parents working abroad, while another 20% - one parent. The most serious thing is that these children face psychological problems. They are more seldom taken to a doctor. They are not helped to do the homework and are stigmatized by mates. Studies show that the children whose parents went to work abroad prevail among the institutionalized children. It’s true that these children have what to eat and what to wear, but they lack parental care. The cases we met show that the persons in whose care the parents left their children before leaving do not devote enough time to the children’s education and most of the times only prepare food for them to eat and send them to school,” stated Nune Mangasaryan.

The UNICEF representative made a call to the parents who leave their children at home and go abroad to work. “They need to realize the risks faced by their children. The guardians must also show greater responsibility and allot more time and effort. The parents must officially institute guardianship over the children left in the care of other persons,” said Nune Mangasaryan.

The official also said that the Moldovan authorities are trying to cope with the situation, but do not have funds. “There is no perfect system. The system must be improved, but there are no financial resources,” she stated.

The children’s ombudswoman Maia Banarescu said the exodus of labor force is a phenomenon in the Republic of Moldova and the authorities can intervene to diminish it by improving the socioeconomic situation.