Moldova Plans 3,000 New Childcare Places with EU Support

Moldova – a regional example in the development of childcare services

Moldova has become a regional leader in the development of childcare services, but the take-up rate for children under three in public nurseries remains below the European average. The authorities aim to create 3,000 new places, with the support of European funding and local authorities.

Tatiana Udrea

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Tatiana Udrea, programme coordinator at UN Women Moldova, emphasised that care should be viewed as an investment in the economy and in women’s access to the labour market, not as an expense. At the same time, policies are needed to enable women to balance family responsibilities with professional development.

“The Republic of Moldova is making very good progress in the area of childcare services. I am very proud when we talk about what we have achieved, because we are a very good example in the region. Many initiatives have been implemented in a relatively short space of time. We are not just talking about nurseries, but about all the measures that should provide women with an environment in which they can access economic opportunities,” Udrea said on public radio.

Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, announced that, thanks to the efforts of the Government and its development partners, around 1,000 new places have been created in nurseries. The European Union has allocated 135 million lei this year to expand these services, and a similar amount is planned for next year.

“We have managed to increase the coverage rate by around 6–7 percentage points. However, we are still below the European target of 30 per cent, which we aim to reach by expanding services,” said the State Secretary.

It should be noted that, according to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, around 80,000 women aged between 25 and 45 in the Republic of Moldova are not active in the labour market because they are caring for children, the elderly or people with disabilities. The authorities aim to encourage them to return to work by expanding nursery provision and developing care services.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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