UN Women and WPHF enhance the voices of Moldovan women’s organizations in response to the humanitarian crisis

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A delegation from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) - including its government donors from Austria, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom - visited the Republic of Moldova on 21-23 June 2022, to witness the impact of WPHF - supported partners and assess the unique needs of local women’s organizations as they work to protect women and girls on the front lines of the Ukraine refugee crisis.

Vizita delegației WPHF
Members of the WPHF delegation, representatives of UN Women Moldova and representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Photo credit: Stela Dontu/ UN Women

WPHF, with the technical support of UN Women, has channeled financing to 6 Moldovan CSOs providing urgent assistance to refugees and enhanced gender mainstreaming in the response to the humanitarian crisis. An official event was organized for the launch of the CSO partnerships with representatives from WPHF partners La Strada, Gender Center, Women for Women, Women's Law Center, Motivation Association from Moldova and Institutum Virtutes Civilis.

Vizita delegației WPHF
The visit of the WPHF delegation at the "La strada" organisation
Photo credit: Stela Dontu/ UN Women

“Moldova is a small country with a big heart,” said Dominika Stojanoska, country representative UN Women Moldova. “This welcome financing from WPHF will strengthen the voices and enable the essential response efforts of local women and youth organizations working on the front lines of the refugee crisis.”

Participants also highlighted the need to balance support for host communities and refugees, stating that beyond enthusiasm, leadership and political will, women's organizations need flexible resources to create transformative impact in communities. In this regard, WPHF and its innovative approach was welcomed as a flexible and rapid financing tool supporting quality interventions to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and benefit from key peacebuilding opportunities.

“Local women’s organizations do not work in isolation – they work across their communities to create long-term, transformative change,” said Ghita El Khyari, head of the Secretariat of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund. That’s why WPHF is investing in women first - responders in Moldova, Ukraine and 27 countries across the globe.”

Vizita delegației WPHF
The visit of the WPHF delegation to the temporary placement Center at Moldexpo
Photo credit: Stela Dontu/ UN Women

A new regional call for proposals has already been launched by WPHF to support more civil society organizations working to promote the social-economic recovery, leadership and political participation of forcibly displaced women and girls in crisis and humanitarian contexts in Moldova and Ukraine.

During the visit, the WPHF delegation - together with UN Women representatives - met with Corina Ajder, state secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Lilia Pascal, head of Department for Equal opportunities for women and men, and Daniela Misail-Nichitin, state secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The discussions focused on the essential role of local women’s organizations as frontline responders and the complementarity of actions among refugees and host communities to advance social cohesion.

Together with the UN Women team, the WPHF delegation visited the temporary placement Center at Moldexpo and the Palanca border crossing point to see the facilities and learn more about the urgent needs of refugees.

Vizita delegației WPHF
The visit of the WPHF delegation to the Palanca border crossing
Photo credit: Stela Dontu/ UN Women

Discussions about challenges faced in this crisis took place at the headquarters of two organizations that are already implementing projects funded by WPHF with the technical support of UN Women – La strada and Women’s Law Center. “In times of crisis, we have to act with trust,” said Mariana Buruiana, director of the Moldovan Women's Law Center, a partner organization supported by WPHF. “Trust with partners, donors, refugees and host communities.”