Dance and musical performance by children celebrating the opening of Causeni Community Support Centre. UNHCR supports 10 community centers in the Republic of Moldova
Every year UNHCR and its partner organizations, hold meetings where refugees of all ages and backgrounds can share their experiences and concerns as part of the Participatory assessment (PA). This includes separate discussions with different groups, like women, girls, boys, and men. These talks help UNHCR and everyone involved in the Refugee Response to understand the challenges forcibly displaced and stateless people face and find solutions together. This approach empowers communities to work together for their protection, forming the basis for a rights-based and community-based approach.
The results of the participatory assessments are used not only by UNHCR in the annual programming cycle but also by many partner organizations of the Refugee Coordination Forum. Information gathered is summed up to become working plans to meet the needs of the displaced people.
UNHCR in the Republic of Moldova conducted a Participatory Assessment in October 2023 in an inter-agency exercise that involved many organizations and institutions. A total of 261 persons participated, including 33 displaced persons residing in the Transnistrian region. Of the participants, 66% were female and 34% were male. The discussions covered 18 raions [districts] of the country, with participants living in both urban and rural settings, Refugee Accommodation Centres, the Temporary Accommodation Centre for asylum-seekers, private accommodation, and host families.
Participatory assessments play a crucial role in amplifying the voices of refugee women, children, and adolescents from diverse backgrounds, facilitating their direct engagement with decision-makers and fostering community involvement in their protection. This approach not only enables refugees to articulate concerns but also empowers them to identify solutions and capacities within their community. By minimizing the risk of excluding certain groups during the design and delivery of services, participatory assessments contribute to a better understanding of the accessibility challenges faced by different refugee populations. Moreover, these assessments recognize power relations among groups, shedding light on gender, age, race, or ethnic dynamics that may lead to abuses and exploitation, allowing for the adoption of preventive measures. This inclusive process promotes greater respect for the rights of refugee women, children, and adolescents, fostering gender equality and providing a platform for expressing diverse views and concerns. Ultimately, participatory assessments facilitate a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of refugee situations, incorporating a diversity of perspectives and viewpoints.
Key findings in the Republic of Moldova
The findings highlight a strong correlation between the legal status of displaced persons in the Republic of Moldova and their prospects for integration and inclusion within the local communities. Those coming from Ukraine who received temporary protection status, for example, demonstrated a higher level of inclusion within their communities and greater access to services provided by the state as compared to asylum-seekers. This applied to access to healthcare and education services, as well as access to the labour market.
Access to health care remained foremost among the refugee concerns. Availability, cost and quality of health care services were all noted as difficulties in Moldova, not only by Ukrainian refugees but also asylum-seekers of different nationalities. Language barriers, access to childcare, skills mismatches, and low salaries, continued to be cited as impediments to obtaining employment. Despite these obstacles, however, as compared to 2022, more PA participants, from diverse ages and backgrounds, stated that they had been able to find jobs in Moldova or were in the process of doing so.
Access to affordable and adequate housing and accommodation was also voiced as an increasing problem by participants from various profiles.
Read the full report in English, Romanian or Ukrainian.
The participatory assessments in UNHCR are guided by several principles. One key strategy involves mainstreaming age, gender, and diversity to promote gender equality, uphold human rights, especially those of women and children, and enhance the protection of refugees irrespective of their background. A community-based approach is adopted to empower individuals in the community, encouraging active participation in decision-making and expressing their needs for a self-determined future. Additionally, a rights-based approach permeates all programming phases, incorporating human rights principles in assessment, planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Recognizing participation in decision-making as a fundamental right, all programs aim to contribute to the realization of human rights.
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