UNICEF and the US Government Support Stronger Social Protection Services for Children and Families in Moldova

Chișinău, 26 October 2026 – UNICEF, with the financial support of the United States Government, has provided essential IT equipment to Moldova’s national social protection institutions to improve the delivery of social benefits and strengthen their capacity to serve vulnerable children and families, including refugees from Ukraine. 

The equipment includes 111 all-in-one desktop computers, 40 multifunction printers, 15 laptops and additional IT accessories, with a total value of over 3 million lei. It will support the work of the National Social Insurance House (CNAS), the National Council for the Determination of Disability and Work Capacity (NCDDWP), and the Territorial Social Assistance Agencies (ATAS). 

The investment aims to improve administrative efficiency, facilitate the processing of social benefits and strengthen institutions responsible for delivering assistance to families across the country. 

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Moldova has progressively moved from emergency assistance towards integrating refugees into national services. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, refugee families have gained access to national social protection programmes, including childcare benefits, disability benefits and childbirth grants. 

“The value of this investment is not in the equipment itself, but in what it enables public institutions to deliver,” said Deyana Kostadinova, UNICEF Country Representative in Moldova. “When children and families receive benefits on time, when procedures are transparent and when institutions can respond to changing needs without compromising existing services, we strengthen both social protection and public trust.” 

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection is also leading the development of a roadmap to advance the integration of refugees into Moldova’s national social protection system. The roadmap will help guide the transition from temporary humanitarian arrangements towards sustainable, nationally managed services, while contributing to broader social protection reforms.

“Digitalizing social protection services means more efficient processes and better working conditions for professionals who support people every day. This equipment will strengthen the work of our institutions and help us improve information management and the delivery of services to citizens. We thank our partners, UNICEF and the Government of the United States of America, for their support in strengthening Moldova’s social protection system,” said Anastasia Oceretnîi, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. 

Beyond addressing immediate needs, the investment reflects a longer-term approach to international assistance: strengthening national institutions so that improvements achieved through the refugee response benefit children and families in Moldova. 

"This equipment is not just a collection of tools - it is a direct continuation of the United States' enduring commitment to children, families, and the institutions that support them. The real measure of success is how Moldova's institutions use it to deliver results for the people who need them most, including the more than 140,000 Ukrainian refugees Moldova continues to host so generously. Protecting children’s health, education, and safety is the best investment any country can make in its future," stated Chargé d'Affaires Nick Pietrowicz of the U.S. Embassy in Moldova.

By investing in administrative capacity, Moldova can improve the efficiency and accessibility of social protection services while building a system that is more adaptable to changing needs and better equipped to respond to future challenges. 

The initiative is part of UNICEF’s continued cooperation with the Government of Moldova, with the support of the United States Government, to protect vulnerable children, strengthen public services, and promote inclusive, sustainable social protection.