Press releases

UN Women in Moldova and the Organisation for the Development of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Sector established by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure (ODIMM) will support 300 women, including 200 women entrepreneurs, in acquiring new skills or upgrading skills in launching and managing their own businesses, identifying secure jobs and better managing their own financial resources. Around 35 young women, especially those from underrepresented groups, will get non-repayable grants that will allow them to cover all investments, under the ODIMM grant scheme. Moreover, a sustainable network of up to 100 female entrepreneurs will be created in order to support each other and defend their socio-economic needs vis-à-vis the authorities.

Under the project “Measures to address the pressing needs of women and girls who are marginalised or in a vulnerable situation aggravated by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Europe and Central Asia — (August 2020 – May 2021), the Moldovan component strengthens women’s resilience through better access to new sources of income and opportunities to improve their living conditions, as well as strengthening women’s participation in decision-making through professional associations and networks. In this context, a partnership was agreed on 5 November with the Organisation for the Development of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Sector, a non-profit public institution set up by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure (ODIMM). National Moldovan Programme “Business start-up by young people” is the key element of the project, followed by obtaining knowledge and offering grants to women starting or developing their own business, especially women in rural areas. The project is implemented with financial support from the Government of Japan.

The partnership between UN Women and ODIMM will contribute to the implementation of the national strategic plan on COVID-19 recovery and women’s empowerment, especially those who have been more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing them with opportunities for secure incomes, decent jobs and economic independence. This project will also break down the barriers women in business face due to COVID-19 and the consequences of the pandemic — inaccessibility of financial services, lack of mentoring platforms and gender-based discrimination.

The project addresses two main challenges: new sources of income and decent living conditions created for women through access to income and employment; and strengthening women’s leadership and decision-making skills affected by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 crisis and related policies (self-isolation, social distance, business closures) have severely affected micro, small and medium-sized businesses and thousands of families in the Republic of Moldova, respectively. Many people have lost their jobs, their income has fallen and living conditions have worsened. The pandemic is having a huge negative effect on both businesswomen and ordinary employees, who are overrepresented in most industries affected by COVID-19, such as: sales, health, tourism, on-trade, education, etc. In addition to business management in times of crisis, women also have to perform unpaid work, such as: caring for households, children and the elderly.

ODIMM Director-General Iulia Costin stated at the signing event of the Memorandum that this partnership will contribute to the development of joint activities for the economic integration of women in our country.

“Over time, changing the perception of female entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova has become a core priority for ODIMM. Many initiatives and projects dedicated to women entrepreneurs have been implemented. However, women and girls remain the most vulnerable, especially in the context of COVID-19, due to their work in areas predominantly related to the health and social sectors. Under the current circumstances, the project provides enormous support to the SME sector affected by the crisis by strengthening resilience and encouraging women to realise their potential at the highest level”.

{gallery}../06.11.2020{/gallery}