1. Introduction The United Nations Population Fund’s (<strong>UNFPA</strong>)“overall goal as an institution is to achieve universal access to reproductive health, promote sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, and reduce maternal mortality, achieving progress towards MDG 5, in order to empower and improve thelives of underserved populations, especially women and youth, enabled by our understanding of population dynamics, human rights and gender equality and driven bycountry needs and tailored to country context.” 1 This reformulated vision responds to the fact that “key elements of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 2 agenda remain incomplete, and while only a few years remain until the 2015 completion date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), many of the goals are still far from being met. Of particular concern is the fact that the Millennium Development Goal that <strong>UNFPA</strong> most directly contributes to - MDG 5, on improving maternal health - has recently been found to be the furthest from attainment. 3 This is also true for <strong>Moldova</strong>, where the MDG 5 indicator of maternal mortality decreased until <strong>2007</strong>, increased sharply in 2008 and returned to its decreasing trendin 2009. 4 Similarly, other Reproductive Health indicators currently show a slower improvement compared to previous years meanwhile the demographic situation worsens due to migration and an ageing population. After having supported <strong>Moldova</strong>’s development since 1996 on a project basis, an integrated country programme cycle was put together for the first time for the period <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2011</strong>. The country programme focused on three pillars: i) reproductive health, ii) population and development and iii) gender. Thisis the background against which outcomes of the implementation of this first <strong>Country</strong> <strong>Programme</strong> (CP) have to be evaluated on a mandatory basis. The purposeof theexercise is to carry outan end ofprogrammecycle<strong>evaluation</strong> toassessthe achievementsof the<strong>Country</strong><strong>Programme</strong>’sdevelopmentinterventions,thefactorsthatfacilitated/hindered achievements,andtocompilelessonslearned toinform thedevelopmentofthenextcountry programme cycle (<strong>2012</strong>-2016). Inaddition,the<strong>evaluation</strong>derivesrecommendations,goodpracticesandlessons learnedfrommeasuringthe achievements,outputsandoutcomesproducedbytheprogramme.The <strong>evaluation</strong>also highlights<strong>UNFPA</strong>’scomparative advantageand makesrecommendationson alternativecostefficientstrategiestobe usedbyimplementingpartnersand<strong>UNFPA</strong>inplanningthenext countryprogrammefor<strong>UNFPA</strong>supportwithinthenextUNDAF(United Nations Development Assistance Framework). 1 Preliminary formulation of <strong>UNFPA</strong> vision for the global strategic plan <strong>2011</strong>-2013, restated in May <strong>2011</strong> 2 Held in Cairo 1994 3 World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Global Monitoring Report <strong>2011</strong>. In: <strong>UNFPA</strong> Mid Term review of <strong>UNFPA</strong> strategic plan 2008 – 2013, Report to the Executive Director July 26, <strong>2011</strong>. 4 UN <strong>Moldova</strong>, Second National MDG Report 2010, Chisinau. <strong>UNFPA</strong> <strong>Moldova</strong> Extended <strong>Country</strong> <strong>Programme</strong> (<strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2011</strong>/12) Outcome Evaluation 10
The field visit for data collection for this <strong>evaluation</strong> was implemented duringthe second half of July <strong>2011</strong>. <strong>UNFPA</strong> <strong>Moldova</strong> Extended <strong>Country</strong> <strong>Programme</strong> (<strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2011</strong>/12) Outcome Evaluation 11
Change language