Community initiatives enhance social cohesion on both banks of the Nistru River

The results and impact of 12 local initiatives undertaken by communities living in the Security Zone of the Nistru River were presented during a closing event organized by UN Women in partnership with the CONTACT Center. Over a period of three months, the teams behind these 12 initiatives, with 62 partners involved, carried out dozens of activities and events in 55 communities within the Security Zone on both banks of the Nistru. More than 5,718 people engaged in local initiatives that focused on the importance of social cohesion, peacebuilding, the inclusion and participation of women in decision-making processes, and fostering good community relations.

"Empowering people on both banks of the Nistru River to build lasting peace and strengthen trust was the main goal of these initiatives,” explained Serghei Neicovcen, director of the CONTACT Center. “Although short in duration, they had a significant impact. We hope to carry out more projects like these over a longer duration so that we can involve more actors and have an even greater impact."

From writing a cookbook of traditional recipes to raising awareness about domestic violence, all of the initiatives’ activities contributed to one common goal: strengthening peace and increasing trust between the communities on both banks of the Nistru River.

During the closing event, Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, highlighted the crucial role women play in building lasting peace and the positive impact they leave on their communities. "It is important to talk about social cohesion, peace and people, including the role of women in these processes,” she said. “We cannot build lasting peace if young people, women, are excluded from this process. It has already been proven that when women participate in conflict negotiation processes, peace lasts longer. Women are deeply involved in the life of their communities, and their voices need to be heard. That's why I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts made in implementing these local initiatives that have had a significant impact on community development.”

Also present at the event was Oxana Gumennaia, Deputy Director of the Office of the Ombudsman. "The two banks of the Nistru River are much closer than they seem, and I am sure that each of us wants peace and understanding in the country,” she told the audience. “Thank you for implementing these initiatives and for your efforts to strengthen peace and respect for people's rights across the entire territory of this country."

Each initiative received up to 90,000 lei to fund a wide range of activities, including:

• Community dialogue spaces: Rehabilitating wells in Solonceni, Rezina and Ofatințî, Rîbnița; equipping and arranging a dance hall in Hîrbovăț, Anenii Noi; renovating and equipping a Children and Parents' Center in the town of Rezina; and restoring the recreational area around the "Ioan Vodă" spring in Hagimus, Căușeni.
• Culture as a pillar of peacebuilding: Publishing a traditional recipe book in Oxentea, Dubăsari; producing a poetry collection in Rezina and Rîbnița; organizing the Sânziene Festival, where over 100 participants from Dubăsarii Vechi, Criuleni joined a Peace Dance; equipping sports halls in the villages of Holercani and Tîrnăuca; and organizing art exhibitions for peace in Varnița, Aneni Noi.
• Women's leadership and participation: Organizing professional and personal development workshops for women in Bender; conducting a summer camp to enhance young women's leadership skills in Doroțcaia, Dubăsari; and raising community awareness about the severity of domestic violence and prevention methods in Criuleni.

The title of one of the initiatives – "The Nistru That Unites Us" – perfectly captures the spirit of all 12 local initiatives in their efforts to forge partnerships and increase social cohesion between communities on both banks of the Nistru River.

The local initiatives were implemented in partnership with the CONTACT Center as part of the project "Building Sustainable and Inclusive Peace, Strengthening Trust and Social Cohesion on Both Banks of the Nistru River," jointly implemented by the UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNDP and UN Women, with funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF).