Mothers and children in vulnerable situations now have access to a new social service - Maternal placement center in Chisinau

Chisinau, 13 July 2023: Mothers and children from Moldova, including refugee families, which are victims or facing risks of violence and exploitation, and those in difficult situations, now have a new safe space to access protection, counselling, medical assistance, and social inclusion services. More specifically, the doors of a new maternal center in Chisinau were opened today, thanks to the generous support of the Government of France and the partnership between the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Chisinau Municipality.

For the first time, the specialized services will also benefit mothers with three or more children aged between 7 and 18. The center can accommodate seven mothers and 13 children simultaneously for six months, with the possibility of extension. 

"When it comes to the safety and well-being of children, it must always be an absolute priority. With this conviction, the Chisinau City Hall, in partnership with UNICEF Moldova, started this special project, social service - Maternal placement center for the mother-child couple older than six years. The center will operate under the General Directorate for the Protection of Children's Rights, in order to provide a safe and supportive environment for mothers and children,” says the mayor general of Chisinau, Ion Ceban.

The team of the center is composed of child protection specialists, psychologists, social workers, social pedagogues, and other support staff who will work together to ensure that mothers and children in vulnerable situations receive the support they need to recover and return to a normal life.

”This service is unique because there are no limitations on the age of children or the number of children who can be placed with their mother. UNICEF’s commitment to GBV lies at the heart of the agency’s mandate to protect the safety, health, and well-being of children and women. Our approach to addressing GBV acknowledges that combating GBV requires a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes access to services while fostering a protective environment for women and children,” says Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Moldova.” We at UNICEF appreciate our collaboration with the Chisinau City Hall and with the General Department for Child Rights Protection, and we believe that the work we carry out impacts the well-being and protection of children, adolescents, and women in Moldova.” 

“It is a shared priority for France and its partners to ensure access to quality protection and other essential services for children and women, which is a worldwide crucial challenge. In that regard, I would like to commend the joint initiatives taken by UNICEF and the Chisinau municipality, with French support. This has resulted in the setting-up of four assisted social housing facilities for at-risk children and youth, the development of a foster-care program and the opening of ten day-care centers for children and families. Those are great and concrete achievements,” says Graham Paul, Ambassador of the French Republic in the Republic of Moldova.

The establishment of the maternal center in Chisinau is one of the objectives included in the Memorandum of Understanding between UNICEF and the Chisinau Municipality, which aims to improve child protection services for Moldovan and Ukrainian children and women. To date, thanks to the generous support of the Government of France, UNICEF and the Chisinau Municipality have set up four assisted social housing facilities for at-risk children and youth, developed the foster-care programme and opened ten day-care centers for children and families.