Project Summary:

Moldova adopted a series of documents to address the issue of gender-based violence, that call for investments in social, psychological, legal, educational and economic services for women and girls. However, despite political will, little capacities are in place at national and, especially, at local level, to address gender-based violence against women (VAW). The aim of the proposed pilot initiative is, on one side, to help localize the national Strategy on prevention and combating violence against women and domestic violence for 2018-2023, by designing, implementing and evaluating a Local Action Plan to address violence against women, in a selected multi-ethnic community (Chirsova village). On the other, by using the lessons learned and the results of the pilot, to equip decision-makers with enhanced policy recommendations, as well as partners, at local, national and international levels, with new knowledge, skills and tools to reduce GBV (gender-based violence).

Objectives:

• Provide support in designing a municipal level VAW action plan for prevention and response aligned with the national policies in Moldova in a participatory manner;
• Provide support in developing sectoral referral network in ATU Gagauzia, as well as training local multidisciplinary teams on standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the roles of each responsible party ensuring a coordinated and a joined-up approach;
• Implement, evaluate and cost the respective referral mechanism and local action plan to support replication and scale up;
• Strengthen the capacity of local key service delivery institutions to planning for the enforcement of service provision for VAW survivors: strengthening systems of service provision – health services, legal and psychological counselling;
• Raise public awareness to support prevention and disclosure of GBV cases.

Expected results:

Component 1: A local adaptation of the national Strategy on prevention and combating violence against women and domestic violence for 2018-2023 is piloted in the community of Chirsova, Comrat district

• Duty bearers trained and capacitated on national standards with regard to address gender-based violence against women, to elaborate and implement local VAW action plan;
• Sectoral referral mechanisms including standard operating procedures is developed and implemented;
• Both the elaborated local plan and referral mechanism are evaluated implemented and costed;
• At least 200 women from the pilot community have access to the created service and trained professionals;
• Raised awareness among opinion and decision-makers and wider society about the GBV issue - with at least 3,000 persons covered by awareness-raising activities.
• One functional social reintegration service providing assistance to victims of GBV;
• At least 3 trained staff members and 3 professionals from local institutions providing services to victims of GBV;
• At least in 10 localities from ATU Gagauzia, local multidisciplinary reams (MDT) have been established;
• At least 50 specialists, members of MDT, from 10 localities in ATU Gagauzia, are trained to manage cases of violence in communities.

Component 2: Advocacy for implementation of policies and laws on VAW in Moldova

• State legal aid system to provide timely and quality legal support to the victims is strengthened,
• A regional multidisciplinary team, with responsibilities in managing cases of violence, functional.
• A regional plan on preventing and combating gender-based violence, derived from the national plan of the same name, developed and approved.

Accomplishments:

• Multidisciplinary teams on counteracting gender-based-violence with approved job descriptions and regulations, institutionalized in 11 localities from ATU Gagauzia;
• Situational Analysis report, based on the results of sociological research, which contains proposals of the interventions and connections between SDGs and local targets, elaborated;
• Chirsova Mayoralty has developed and implemented jointly with the community members and with the support of the project a Local Action Plan for combating gender-based violence;
• A Regional Plan on preventing and combating gender-based violence, derived from the National Plan of the same name, developed;
• The renovation of the first regional center for assisting survivors of gender-based violence in the ATU Gagauzia was finalized. Over 200 people donated $3,970 through a fundraising campaign to renovate the center;
• 38 women and children received accommodation and legal, material, psychological and medical assistance, of which 15 mothers and 23 children. Another 18 women received the same day care;
• 4 specialists from the Center and 9 other specialists from other similar institutions from Chisinau, Edineț Comrat and Causeni participated in a training course in the field of using the CETA counseling methodology, developed by specialists in the field of psychology from Johns Hopkins University, which allows them to work with cases of depression, violence, and alcoholism;
• An extensive communication campaign on the consequences of the violence was carried out in Chirsova village and in other localities in the ATU Gagauzia;
• Economic Empowerment Component -  nine women and one man from Chirsova village, ATU Gagauzia, obtained grants to start up their own business. The total value of grants was of $12,000. As a result of implementation of bussines plans, 16 new workplaces were created;
• Within the Regional Center for assistance to victims of domestic violence, the Mobile Team unit was created, through which services are provided in the villages of ATU Gagauzia;
• With the support of specialists from the Mobile Team, 17 UTAG mayoralties were visited, informed and assisted a number of 180 women and girls from vulnerable groups, including victims of gender-based violence;
• Through the Mobile Team component, 12 women and girls from vulnerable groups, including victims of domestic violence, were employed and another 40 women benefited from digital literacy courses;
• In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, we reallocated the amount of $3,000 for the purchase of necessary equipment for the Chirsova medical Center. There were purchased masks and personal protective clothing, visors, gloves and disinfectants. Thus, the capacity of medical institution to face the effects of pandemic increased, making possiblethe efficient monitoring of domestic violence cases in pandemic period;
• A study on the relationship between gender-based violence and women's economic empowerment was prepared with the support of an expert from Russian Federation;
• Since 28 February 2022, the Regional Center for assistance to victims of domestic violence accommodated and has been transited by 104 refugees, out of which 52 are adults;
• Through the Mobile team, a number of 185 refugee from 9 host communities, were assisted;
• A study to determine the impact of women’s digital skills on their competitiveness in the labor market of Gagauzia was prepared with the support of an expert from Russian Federation.