Republic of Moldova – from social exclusion towards inclusive human development
Chisinau, April 28, 2011 — The process of transition that the Republic of Moldova experienced in the last 20 years has created both opportunities and challenges for the country’s people. But those opportunities often come at enormous social costs such as decline of the people’s real income, explosion of poverty in rural areas, growing unemployment, intensified migration and the reduced capacity of the social protection system to respond to social challenges. This is one of the key findings of the 2010/2011 National Human Development Report “Republic of Moldova – from Social Exclusion towards Inclusive Human Development” launched today by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family of the Republic of Moldova.
The 2010/2011 National Human Development Report “Republic of Moldova – from Social Exclusion towards Inclusive Human Development” addresses the roots of social exclusion, identifies socially excluded and vulnerable groups and provides specific recommendations on how to eliminate barriers to social inclusion for all.
“When people are excluded from full participation in society, there are direct consequences for human development. I look forward to this Report generating discussions on social exclusion and human development, the role of government and individuals in addressing these issues and the proposed policy recommendations”, states Kaarina Immonen, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova, in the Foreword to this National Report.
The report addresses the issue of social exclusion from a human development perspective and identifies its key drivers:
- Weak institutional support mechanisms. The institutions may be inadequate and of low quality and as a result unable to create opportunities for those who are vulnerable to social exclusion.
- A legal framework that is discriminatory or inadequate in its implementation. Imperfect legislation can deepen the exclusion of some social groups. Often at the root of social exclusion are rules and behaviour that discriminate, advertently or inadvertently, against one or more groups as compared to others.
- Political and institutional obstacles. Public institutions or organizations can contribute to social exclusion through a lack of understanding of the dynamics of vulnerability and an inadequate reflection of the needs of socially excluded groups in policy processes.
- Discriminatory social values and cultural practices. There are multiple mechanisms of exclusion: minority ethnic communities may not have access to education opportunities open for some others and may not excel in academia or the professional world, some groups may be openly discriminated against on the job market or in other sectors because of their language or skin colour.
- Exclusion caused by geographical factors – some remote or less densely populated areas, for instance, may have an underdeveloped social infrastructure, compromising a public service delivery system that does not meet the social needs that are normally met in other communities.
The report tackles social exclusion from a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach, covering such areas as economic, social, political and cultural exclusion. It argues that social inclusion requires integrative approaches targeting all dimensions of exclusion simultaneously. To achieve an inclusive society, the report puts forward a set of recommendations that would advance social inclusion opportunities: increased political commitment, strengthened institutional capacity, improved employability of the labour force and expanded employment opportunities, focused attention on rural areas, education oriented at the future, affordable health services, better social assistance and protection and a more inclusive political system.
“Despite the economic growth achieved in the Republic of Moldova in recent years, poverty still remains at a high level, and the economic results achieved are not necessarily brining benefits for all citizens”, said Sergiu Sainciuc, Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family, during the presentation of the Report which brought together representatives of Government, civil society, international organizations and thinks tanks. “The research of social exclusion provided by the Report will contribute to shaping policies aimed at achieving social inclusion in our country”, he said.
The 2010/2011 National Human Development Report has been developed by a team of national and international consultants, with extensive experience in different areas related to human development and social exclusion, and benefited from international know-how and extensive stakeholder consultations. Its intended audience is policy makers at national, regional and local levels, civil society and academia, donors and providers of technical assistance, and the general public.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT: Moldova’s 2010/2011 National Human Development Report “Republic of Moldova – from Social Exclusion towards Inclusive Human Development”, commissioned by UNDP, is intended for policy makers at national, regional and local level, civil society and academia, donors and agencies providing technical assistance and the broad public. The Report highlights the challenges of exclusion in Moldova and attempts to formulate some practical approaches that would improve social inclusion and ultimately – improve human development levels in Moldova.
ABOUT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: The Moldova’s 2010/2011 National Human Development Report also includes the Human Development Index (HDI). HDI is a summary indicator of people's well-being, combining several measures of human development: a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy at birth), a good level of education (measured by adult literacy rate, combined with total rate of enrolment in primary, secondary and tertiary education) and decent living conditions (measured by GDP per capita).
The Human Development Index (HDI) for Moldova is equal to 0.727 (for 2009), according to the calculations of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova.
ABOUT UNDP: UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. For more information, please visit: www.undp.md and www.undp.org
Media contact:
Dumitru Vasilescu
Policy Analysis Project Manager
Tel: (+373 22) 269 123
E-mail: dumitru.vasilescu@undp.org
2010/2011 National Human Development Report “Republic of Moldova – from Social Exclusion towards Inclusive Human Development” (Rom), (Eng)
Republic of Moldova 
