Republic of Moldova

2011 Regional Human Development Report: Money isn't everything in the Republic of Moldova

UNDP report reveals one third of region left out of society, provides new way to measure social exclusion

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova – 20 October, 2011 –An estimated 35 percent of people in the region are excluded from society, ranging from 12 percent of the population in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 72 percent in Tajikistan.

UNDP’s Regional Human Development Report on social inclusion: Beyond Transition: Towards Inclusive Society looks at the vicious cycle of poverty from the perspective of those who have experienced it firsthand. It seems that poverty is not just about money and income.

According to data collected in six countries, included in the study - in all countries but Tajikistan, restricted access to social services rather than economic exclusion was the biggest reason people are left out of society.

Access to incomes, social services and social networks are intrinsically related. For example, when a woman is able to enroll her child in kindergarten, it makes it easier for her to find a job. When she is working, her social network is more likely to expand. The reverse is also true: exclusion in one area can be the start of a downward spiral of poverty and isolation.

“We want policy makers to know that they can help to lift people out of poverty by increasing access to incomes, social services and social networks,” Alexandru Oprunenco, UNDP policy specialist in Moldova stated. “Improvements in one area, in many cases using the resources they already have, is likely to create exponential benefits in other areas too.”

“Economic growth is important but not everyone is benefiting equally from economic growth, so we have to dig deeper into the problem.”

The report introduces a new way to measure the extent to which people are excluded from economic life, social services, and social networks as well as civic participation. The measure provides policy makers with the evidence they require to respond to the needs of citizens.

It can be broken down so that policy makers can see how exclusion looks in their country, where it is geographically and to what extent it relates to economic exclusion, or other often overlooked factors such as access to social services and social networks.

The level of complexity requires that policies are fine tuned to the local development context, and that local capacities are strengthened to identify opportunities, formulate adequate policy responses and implement them effectively.

UNDP’s regional report presents the results of surveys, conducted in six countries, including the Republic of Moldova, and provides an overview of social exclusion in the region and recommended actions.

The survey carried out in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan and Ukraine suggests that the elderly, children, youth, those living in rural areas, and the unemployed and undereducated are being left out of society.

“Social exclusion is not about whether you are a man or a woman, young or old, or whether you are an ethnic minority,” Alexandru Oprunenco said. “Ultimately, it comes down to external factors such as policies or laws that support people who are at risk of being excluded from society. It’s also about whether or not diversity is celebrated in your community, or if discrimination is accepted.”
“It’s not easy, but when it’s an external factor, it means we can provide solutions.”

This report intends to initiate a discussion in the region and beyond, Alexandru Oprunenco specified.
“The discussion will focus on what excludes people, and the ways that they can be included in society,” Alexandru Oprunenco said. “ We aim to further this discussion by presenting a wide range of ideas, as well as tools to test, and monitor them, and learn from our results.”

“In our view, this is a promising way to achieve our ultimate goal – improved human development through social inclusion.”

Recommendations from the UNDP’s regional report include improved vocational education and active labour market policies, radical improvement of services for the elderly, and a region-wide overhaul of social protection, as current social policies do not promote social inclusion.

The report calls for each country in the region to develop a strategy to promote social inclusion, based on involvement of people and groups who are experiencing social exclusion.

Selective key figures and findings for the Republic of Moldova:

• Multidimensional social exclusion index – 18;
• Share of socially excluded population – 40%;
• Share of socially excluded children – 47%;
• The intensity of deprivations among the elderly is highest in the Republic of Moldova as compared with other countries covered by the Regional Report;
• Almost 50% of those socially excluded are ‘very worried’ about facing hunger;
• In 2007, remittances made up 38% of Gross Domestic Product, Moldova being eclipsed only by Tajikistan;
• Inadequate heating is a major contributor to social exclusion in the Republic of Moldova;
• The World Bank Rural Access Index – app. 66% (close to Belarus and Turkmenistan)
• Low civic participation level of only 25%;

For media enquiries, please contact:
Dumitru Vasilescu
UNDP Moldova, Policy Analysis Project Manager
T: +373 22 269123
e-mail: dumitru.vasilescu@undp.org