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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Reform of Social Assistance Restart

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (
Government
)
#SDGAction53468
    Description
    Description

    The social assistance system reform, planned for 2023-2026, aims at impact level to promote and ensure respect of social protection and assistance right of the vulnerable population of the Republic of Moldova, in line with human rights international standards. To reach this impact, the MOLSP plans to achieve four medium-term results until 2026, as follows: Result 1. Vulnerable population has increased access to social services and benefits Result 2. Social services comply with minimum quality standards and adequately meet the population needs Result 3. Social assistance system has sufficient and motivated human resources able to provide quality social services and benefits Result 4. Social assistance system is digitalized to ensure efficiency and reduce fraud

    Implementation of the Project/Activity

    The following interventions are planned: • Approval of regulatory framework to clarify the responsibilities of authorities and change the funding modality • Approval of Regulation for TSAA organization and functioning, taking over of the staff and services from the rayons of ascribed constituencies • Setting up of a specialized Directorate in the MOLSP to coordinate TSAA through the reorganization of the NSAA • Drafting of the National Program for social services development • Drafting of Strategic Plans for social services development and Investment Plans for each designated region, according to needs assessment and performance-based budgeting • Drafting of the Sector Expenditures Strategy and MTBF by social assistance programs/sub-programs • Analysis of social assistance benefits typology • Development of a methodology for providing social assistance benefits according to the status and income of the individual • Amendment of the regulatory framework on establishing the right to and provision of social assistance benefits • Development of a methodology for calculating social assistance benefits which allows indexation to inflation rate • Development of a mechanism to prevent and combat fraud • Strengthening the capacities of State Social Inspectorate on combatting fraud in relation to establishing the right to and provision of social assistance benefits to eligible persons • Redefinition of the role of social funds and mechanisms to fight against poverty • Revision of social services nomenclature and classification • Approval/modification of social services minimum quality standards • Reorganization of services system based on minimum quality standards and recommendations of international mechanisms • Approval of cost standards for each service • Establishment of a quality management mechanism at MOLSP and TSAA levels to facilitate regular M&E of social services quality, focused on needs and rights • Training/mentorship for TSAA in M&E, quality assurance, assessment of vulnerable population needs, development of services based on evidence and rights • Implementation of procedures to file claims/ complaints on access to and quality of social services, and feedback • Development of performance management framework • Training/mentorship for MOLSP and TSAA in results-based management • Drafting of a comprehensive Human Resources Development Plan (planning, recruitment, selection; salary/payroll; professional development needs assessment, training/mentorship packages; staff performance assessment; motivation and retention) • Amendment of the legal framework on salaries • Approval of personnel standards by types of services and according to population size, estimated number of beneficiaries, their dependency level, etc. • Setting up the Commission for the assessment of courses and training providers and Commission for the assessment of quality of training in social assistance (GD 38/2019) • Implementation of modern practices in staff performance assessment and use of results to inform salary level, career promotion and professional development • Auditing of the current information systems from the legal compliance, technology stack, interoperability, and human resources perspectives • Unifying of current information systems on a single access and data analysis platform, and development of the eco- system governance strategy • Development of an information registry for social services and benefits managed by the TSAA and rayon directorates • Modernization of the Automated Social Assistance Information System (SIAAS) • Development of the single citizens’ platform for access to social benefits and compensations ajutor.gov.md • Implementation of a single registry of social assistance beneficiaries

    Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

    UNICEF is supporting the reform with capacity-building expertise and other support measures. Other UN agencies are also providing technical support.

    Coordination mechanisms

    The MoLSP is the leading organization implementing the reform. The necessary legislation is coordinated with the Parliament, the State Chancellery, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice and other relevant ministries. The MoLSP uses both internal and external expertise to implement the reform. Regular meetings with development partners are organized.

    Evaluation

    The monitoring and evaluation of the reform will be carried by a group of independent external experts, as well as by state institutions, such as State Chancellery and Court of Accounts.

    Partners

    Local Public Administration, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA

    Goal 1

    End poverty in all its forms everywhere

    Goal 1

    1.1

    By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day

    1.1.1

    Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)

    1.2

    By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

    1.2.1

    Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age

    1.2.2

    Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

    1.3

    Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable

    1.3.1

    Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable

    1.4

    By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

    1.4.1

    Proportion of population living in households with access to basic services

    1.4.2

    Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, (a) with legally recognized documentation, and (b) who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure

    1.5

    By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters

    1.5.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    1.5.2

    Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP)

    1.5.3

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

    1.5.4

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    1.a

    Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions

    1.a.1

    Total official development assistance grants from all donors that focus on poverty reduction as a share of the recipient country's gross national income

    1.a.2

    Proportion of total government spending on essential services (education, health and social protection)

    1.b

    Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions

    1.b.1

    Pro-poor public social spending

    Goal 2

    End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

    Goal 2

    2.1

    By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round

    2.1.1

    Prevalence of undernourishment

    2.1.2

    Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)

    2.2

    By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons

    2.2.1

    Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age

    2.2.2

    Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)

    2.2.3

    Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)

    2.3

    By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
    2.3.1

    Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size

    2.3.2

    Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status

    2.4

    By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality

    2.4.1

    Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture

    2.5

    By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed

    2.5.1

    Number of (a) plant and (b) animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities

    2.5.2

    Proportion of local breeds classified as being at risk of extinction

    2.a

    Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
    2.a.1

    The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures

    2.a.2

    Total official flows (official development assistance plus other official flows) to the agriculture sector

    2.b

    Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round

    2.b.1

    Agricultural export subsidies

    2.c

    Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility

    2.c.1

    Indicator of food price anomalies

    Goal 10

    Reduce inequality within and among countries

    Goal 10

    10.1

    By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average

    10.1.1

    Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 per cent of the population and the total population

    10.2

    By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

    10.2.1

    Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

    10.3

    Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

    10.3.1

    Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed within the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

    10.4

    Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality

    10.4.1

    Labour share of GDP

    10.4.2

    Redistributive impact of fiscal policy

    10.5

    Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations

    10.5.1

    Financial Soundness Indicators

    10.6

    Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions
    10.6.1

    Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations

    10.7

    Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies

    10.7.1

    Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of montlhy income earned in country of destination

    10.7.2

    Number of countries with migration policies that facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people

    10.7.3

    Number of people who died or disappeared in the process of migration towards an international destination

    10.7.4

    Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin

    10.a

    Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements
    10.a.1

    Proportion of tariff lines applied to imports from least developed countries and developing countries with zero-tariff

    10.b

    Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes
    10.b.1

    Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)

    10.c

    By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent

    10.c.1

    Remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted

    Goal 16

    Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

    Goal 16

    16.1

    Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

    16.1.1
    Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
    16.1.2
    Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause
    16.1.3

    Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence, (b) psychological violence and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months

    16.1.4

    Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area they live after dark

    16.2

    End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

    16.2.1

    Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month

    16.2.2
    Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age and form of exploitation
    16.2.3

    Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18

    16.3

    Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

    16.3.1

    Proportion of victims of (a) physical, (b) psychological and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms

    16.3.2
    Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
    16.3.3

    Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism

    16.4

    By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime

    16.4.1
    Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows (in current United States dollars)
    16.4.2
    Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments

    16.5

    Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

    16.5.1
    Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months
    16.5.2
    Proportion of businesses that had at least one contact with a public official and that paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials during the previous 12 months

    16.6

    Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

    16.6.1
    Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar)
    16.6.2

    Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services

    16.7

    Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

    16.7.1

    Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions, by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups

    16.7.2
    Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group

    16.8

    Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

    16.8.1

    Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations

    16.9

    By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration

    16.9.1
    Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil authority, by age

    16.10

    Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

    16.10.1
    Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates in the previous 12 months
    16.10.2
    Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information

    16.a

    Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime

    16.a.1
    Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles

    16.b

    Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

    16.b.1
    Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

    Goal 17

    Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

    Goal 17

    17.1

    Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

    17.1.1
    Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source
    17.1.2
    Proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes

    17.2

    Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

    17.2.1
    Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income (GNI)

    17.3

    Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

    17.3.1

    Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources 

    17.3.2
    Volume of remittances (in United States dollars) as a proportion of total GDP

    17.4

    Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

    17.4.1
    Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods and services

    17.5

    Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

    17.5.1

    Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries

    17.6

    Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

    17.6.1

     Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed

    17.7

    Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

    17.7.1

    Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

    17.8

    Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

    17.8.1
    Proportion of individuals using the Internet

    17.9

    Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

    17.9.1

    Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries

    17.10

    Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

    17.10.1
    Worldwide weighted tariff-average

    17.11

    Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

    17.11.1

    Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports

    17.12

    Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

    17.12.1

    Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States

    17.13

    Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

    17.13.1
    Macroeconomic Dashboard

    17.14

    Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

    17.14.1
    Number of countries with mechanisms in place to enhance policy coherence of sustainable development

    17.15

    Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development 

    17.15.1
    Extent of use of country-owned results frameworks and planning tools by providers of development cooperation

    17.16

    Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

    17.16.1

    Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

    17.17

    Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships 

    17.17.1

    Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

    17.18

    By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

    17.18.1

    Statistical capacity indicators

    17.18.2
    Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
    17.18.3

    Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding

    17.19

    By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

    17.19.1
    Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries
    17.19.2

    Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration

    Name Description

    New legislation on the administration of social assistance is passed, new Territorial Agencies of Social Assistance are created

    A new basic package of social services is defined and financed from the state budget

    A new integrated IT infrastructure for the social assistance in the Republic of Moldova is implemented

    Financing (in USD)
    The state budget will contribute around 13.5 million USD for the implementation of the reform in 2024.
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Technical expertise is provided by development partners, such as UNICEF and UNDP.
    In-kind contribution
    UNICEF is contributing with the acquisition of around 1,000 computers for social assistants.
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Action Network
    Summit
    Type of initiative
    Member State Transformation Commitments
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    Timeline
    01 January 2024 (start date)
    31 December 2026 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ministry of Labour and Social Protection
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Republic of Moldova
    Other beneficiaries

    Beneficiaries of social assistance measures, beneficiaries of social services, beneficiaries of social allowances.

    Website/More information
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    Countries
    Republic of Moldova
    Republic of Moldova
    Contact Information