Country Programme (2007-2011/2012) evaluation - UNFPA Moldova

Gender
The implementation of the gender component of the UNFPA’s CP during the period under review made
many significant contributions to the improvement of the institutional framework and social context
needed to promote gender equality and to advance the rights ofwomen and girls, particularly in terms of
reproductive health rights.
The programme assisted the Government and NGOs in strengthening the capacities and capabilities of
institutions working in the field of gender equality, domestic violence and women to enable them to
advocate for their empowerment in all areas of development, as well as to promote and protect their rights
including their sexual and reproductive health and rights. In this regard, efforts by the Ministry of Labour,
Social Protection and Family and other stakeholders supported under this programme, in ensuring the
enforcement of existing laws that have been promulgated towards eliminating all practices that negatively
affect women’s rights, have resulted in accelerating the enactment of some of the following laws and
national strategies or the enforcement of others, for example:
• Law on Preventing and Combating Domestic Violence
• The referral system for GBV
• National Demographic Security Strategy
• National Strategy on Ensuring Equality between women and men
There is no separate programme on gender equality within the current CP, although it is one of the three
core programme areas of the UNFPA in Moldova. The increased focus on gender equality emerged from
UNFPA’s support for human rights issues and its involvement in women’s empowerment and a high level
of responsefrom the UNFPA country team.
While women in Moldova have equal rights under marital and inheritance laws, according to the
Constitution, decision-making in the family context is in practice mainly a male domain with women
having a lower status and being economically dependent on men, especially in rural areas. In public life,
the situation is almost the same, women are under-represented in high positions at the decision-making
levels, but much progress has been achieved over last years.
So far, UNFPA’s engagement on gender equality issues has included responding to gender issues with a
special focus on gender-based violence (GBV), by building new networks and partnerships amongst the
UN agencies, government and NGOs. UNFPA has played an important role in supporting policy dialogue
and advocacy leading on to the development of the National Strategy on Gender Equality and on sexdisaggregated
data joint project, implemented by NBS.
Since 2008, the evaluation found that UNFPA had played an influential and leading role in advancing the
agenda towards gender equality in Moldova. Discussions with stakeholders and other partners confirmed
the value of the intensive support provided by UNFPA through its leadership of the Technical joint
meeting.
UNFPA Moldova Extended Country Programme (2007-2011/12)
Outcome Evaluation
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