Humanitarian overview
Moldova has one of the highest numbers of refugees per inhabitant. The country also faces the highest level of inflation in the region, reaching 34.5 per cent by the end of August 2022.
The refugee population is mainly female, with half being minors and a significant number of older Roma people in Moldova are mostly undocumented. They face challenges in moving on to other European countries and accessing assistance, as well as discrimination and segregation when accessing services.
Refugees and third-country nationals need access to essentials such as shelter, food, health services, nutrition, and other important items. Additionally, access to information on rights, legal assistance, child protection, human trafficking, and psychosocial support. Social cohesion and integration with host communities are key considerations.
NRC's operations
NRC was registered in Moldova in April 2022. The NRC Country Office is located in Chișinău and also covers Romania. Since the onset of the conflict, NRC has provided humanitarian assistance in Moldova mostly through partners, but also directly. NRC prioritises a partner-led response that builds on the capacity of local civil society actors to deliver programmes and work to support national authorities. NRC has currently established partnerships with NGOs in Moldova covering ICLA, protection, UDOC, education, youth, WASH, and shelter.
Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA): Provision of information, counselling, and legal assistance on refugees' status determination, migration, and residency; legal identity and documentation; employment law and procedures; security of tenure; registration procedure, state assistance programmes, recovery of lost/damaged documentation, pensions.
UDOC (Camp management/Urban displacement settings): Supporting local coordination mechanisms for service monitoring and provision, including local authorities, institutional service providers, local and international NGOs, civil society and representatives of the refugees’ and host communities; Information provision for refugees staying in the host communities to understand and access the different services available in the area.
Protection: Emergency individual protection assistance to identified vulnerable beneficiaries, including Psychological First Aid. Case management, including referrals, PSS and case support to identified vulnerable beneficiaries. Referring cases to NRC core competencies and other partners active in the targeted area.
Education: Provision of psychosocial support through NRC’s Better Learning Program (BLP); Capacity building of education authorities, formal and non-formal education personnel; creation of protective learning environments for children to support them in resuming connection with their peers and (re)integrating into formal education; distribution of teaching and learning materials.
Youth: Design, pilot, and scale-up youth-led initiatives to support referral pathways in formal education, livelihood, and social engagement programmes.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)/Shelter: WASH and shelter support to highly vulnerable displacement affected populations; Provision of a holistic and integrated response for winter 2022; Provision of in-kind kits for hygiene purposes.
Multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA): Provision of cash assistance to those most in need and with identified protection concerns. Cash assistance creates synergies with protection and legal aid activities by providing material support to highly vulnerable populations.
