Republic of Moldova

Government in collaboration with UNDP, UNIFEM and UNFPA is taking one more step towards achievement of gender equality in the Republic of Moldova

Chişinău, 19 May 2009 – Representatives of the central and local public authorities, donors and international organizations, academia, NGOs and media, have gathered today, in the framework of a launching event on Promoting Gender Equality & Demographic Policies through Improved Data Management. The event is organised by the Government in collaboration with UNDP, UNIFEM, and UNFPA within the UN Joint Project Strengthening the National Statistical System Project, with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

The Project on Strengthening the National Statistical System started in 2007 at the request of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of the Republic of Moldova. The project is aimed on Strengthening the National Statistical System to improve data collection, dissemination and utilization of statistical information with particular attention to national needs and overall conformity of official statistics with international standards. Projects main objectives are to: improve the capacity of NBS and other line ministries involved in production of information; improve the availability of data; improve the use of available data for participatory policy-making.

The support of the donor community being offered to the Republic of Moldova in the field of statistics is essential, in the present difficult economic situation, and aims to better determine the extend to which the economic situation impacts on different population groups and to identify the improvement measures addressing the population and poverty issues where these prevails, has been stated by Kaarina Immonen, UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Moldova. Viorica Dumbraveanu, acting Deputy Minister of the Social Protection, Family and Child, present at the event, has reiterated Governments commitments in promoting gender equality and has presented the future challenges and perspectives of the Government.

In the framework of the conference statistical and other publications have been presented: Women and Men in the Republic of Moldova bi-annual statistical publication, Pocket book Women and Men in the Republic of Moldova, Gender Statistics User Guide, Population: Definitions and Indicators Guide, Harmonized set of development indicators in the context of the MDGs (short and full versions) and UNIFEM Global Report Progress of the worlds women 2008/2009: Who Answers to Women?

The above publications (except the last one) have been developed within the UN Joint Project and are made available for the relevant institutions as practical tools for analysing, developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating national and sector policies and plans in a gender sensitive manner.

For additional information, please contact Aurelia Spataru, Manager of UN Joint Project Strengthening the National Statistical System Project, tel. 40 31 42, E-mail: aurelia.spataru@undp.org or Natalia Costas, communications consultant, tel. 069221141, E-mail:natalia.costas@un.md