Despite facing its own economic pressures, Moldova has welcomed hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Many displaced people remain in Moldova, living in host communities across the country.
NRC in Moldova
Working with local partners, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is responding to the needs of displaced households, through housing support, legal support, access to education and support with economic integration.
What’s happening in Moldova?
Following the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022, approximately 90,000 displaced people from Ukraine remain in Moldova today. The majority are women and children who need additional support with childcare, schooling and employment. More than 90 per cent of displaced people live in private accommodation in host communities, which presents challenges for secure housing and quality living conditions.
The legal protections Moldova set up in 2022 allow displaced people from Ukraine to live, work and access essential services. Moldova’s approach broadly follows the EU’s, and as the EU has extended temporary protection until March 2028, Moldova is expected to do the same.
Since 2022, displaced people from Ukraine have been allowed to live and work in Moldova. Most are women, children or older people, and a third are under the age of 18. While many are settling into life in Moldova, others continue to struggle financially, relying on savings and pensions as high inflation makes it harder to afford food, warm clothing and other essentials.
Our response
We’re working with our partners in the following areas:
- Shelter and settlements – providing housing repairs and winter assistance, as well as improving community infrastructure with energy-efficient upgrades.
- Education and youth – supporting employment activities for young people, such as business start-up and scale-up support, job placements and vocational training, and helping children integrate into local schools, recover from trauma and get the right support from teachers.
- Information, counselling and legal assistance – offering legal support with identity, stay, employment and housing laws, to help people exercise their rights and access services.
Our operations
NRC office established: 2022
Areas of operation: Chișinău (country office), nationwide
Country Director: Neil Brighton
Our impact
In 2025, we assisted 18,005 people through our programmes in Moldova:
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2,240Education
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550Livelihoods and food security
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9,101Shelter and settlements
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7,147Information, counselling and legal assistance
Note: some people received more than one type of assistance.
