Moldova adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) in 2018 for the period 2018-2021. The NAP was developed by a number of ministries, including the Ministries of Defense; Health, Labor and Social Protection; and Internal Affairs, through a participatory approach that included a series of dialogues, roundtables and meetings to increase the level of awareness of public authorities and civil society with the provisions of Resolution 1325. The NAP mentions civil society involvement in all stages of NAP development, implementation, and monitoring, with objective 6 specifically mentioning strengthening the involvement of civil society in the decisions taken by the security and defense systems. The NAP is primarily focused on women’s participation in the security and defense sectors and outlines eight key objectives, developed with the goal to increase women’s representation in the security and defense sectors. While identified objectives are tied to specific actions as well as a monitoring framework, the NAP does not have an allocated budget.
Moldova reported on the implementation of its NAP in its national reporting for Beijing+25 and in preparation for CSW64 (2020). Specifically, the country provided the following updates, among others (p. 5):
- The Republic of Moldova has improved the public policy framework on gender equality and in other related fields. Important strategic policy documents were adopted and their implementation commenced: 2017-2021 National Gender Equality Strategy, 2018-2023 National Strategy on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, 2018-2023 National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, National Action Plan on implementation of the provisions of the UNSCR 1325 Women in Peace and Security 2018-2022, as well as other sectorial strategies (health, employment, social protection, security, child protection, etc.).
- Currently, a structured institutional state mechanism in the area of gender equality is established, consisting of the Government Commission on Gender Equality, Division for Gender Equality Policies/MHLSP1, Gender Units/Gender Coordinating Groups within line ministries and other central public authorities, Gender Units within local public authorities. This denotes positive developments in achieving gender equality and promoting women.
- However, despite these achievements, the analysis of the situation in the Republic of Moldova on the issue of gender equality and promotion of women highlights that the biggest challenges during 2014-2019 were: empowering women in the political, economic, and social areas; work and family life reconciliation; domestic violence; and the specific situation of certain groups of disadvantaged women (Roma women, women from rural areas, women living with HIV, women in detention, migrant women, etc.).
Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since its independence, Moldova has experienced tensions with Ukraine over the Transnistrian territory and the Dniester river. Moldova is one of the primary source countries for women subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour throughout Europe.