The third “Decent Work Country Programme” of Moldova for the 2012 – 2015 period promotes decent work as a key to national development and is based on the previous successful cooperation between the ILO and Moldova.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Moldovan Minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga, the ILO Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Susanne Hoffmann, President of National Employers’ Confederation Leonid Cerescu and President of National Trade Union Confederation Oleg Budza.
President of National Trade Union Confederation Oleg Budza, ILO Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Susanne Hoffmann, Moldovan Minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga and President of National Employers’ Confederation Leonid Cerescu at the signing ceremony.
The Programme, which was developed with the participation of the Moldovan government, trade unions and employers’ organization, focuses on three jointly agreed key priorities:
- Improving governance of the labour market;
- Promoting decent work and employment opportunities;
- Improving social protection.
The results and lessons learnt from implementation of the previous Decent Work Country Programme of Moldova for 2008-2011 and its assessment have been also taken into account.
More and better jobs are needed
With a relatively low employment rate (38.5 per cent in 2010) but a high inactivity rate (in 2010, inactivity stood at 58.4 per cent: 61.4 per cent for women and 55 per cent for men), the key challenge and the main focus for Moldovan labour market policy should be to increase both the activity rate along with employment rate. This can only be achieved if more and better-paid jobs (decent jobs in terms of wages, social protection, work-family friendly and occupational health and safety at work) are available in the domestic labour market. Policies to assist workers to balance their family responsibilities is an important ingredient in improving the activity rate, as one of the major causes of female inactivity is family responsibilities. To significantly improve competitiveness a more conducive business and investment environment is needed in which new companies can be established and existing ones can expand. Education and training of the labour force should be also improved, both inside and outside the company environment, in order to achieve higher labour productivity.
To achieve these goals, the first priority is to strengthen the capacity of government institutions and the social partners to improve the governance of the labour market. The capacity of tripartite policy makers will be enhanced to take jointly, in accordance with relevant international labour standards, necessary measures to promote effective collective bargaining mechanisms in both the public and the private sectors. The institutional capacity of employers’ and workers’ organizations will be increased to enable them to engage more effectively in economic and social forums at all levels to ensure a business-friendly legislative environment to support viable and sustainable enterprises.
The second priority seeks to promote decent work and employment opportunities. Collection of labour statistics will be improved for evidence-based policy formulation. The ILO will provide technical assistance to improve the national capacities to manage migration through a rights-based approach and based on a strengthened social dialogue. It will build sustainable cooperation with relevant actors in the government, parliament, workers and employers' organizations and foster their ownership over the migration governance process. The ILO will support Moldova in formulating youth employment policies and programmes that efficiently ease the transition of young people to decent work.
The third priority aims to improve social protection systems by strengthening coverage and sustainability of the social security system. Through ILO technical assistance, Moldova will extend the social security coverage for migrant workers by developing and implementing social security agreements with receiving countries. The ILO will help Moldova to create improved occupational safety and health policies and programmes and to strengthen the labour inspection system. The Moldovan labour market is marked with high economic inactivity of women, where 61.4 per cent of women of working age are not available or looking for work, due to barriers such as age limit, disability, attending school and family responsibilities. The ILO will help tripartite actors to take legal and practical measures to protect maternity and promote work-family reconciliation issues.
The new Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for 2012-2015 is in line with the key priorities of the United Nations – Republic of Moldova Partnership Framework (UNPF) “Towards Unity in Action” for 2013-2017 and will contribute towards achievement of its goals. The new DWCP will also make an important contribution to the implementation of “Rethink Moldova” and “Moldova 2020” strategies and national development objectives based on the Millennium Development Goals.
The programme will be implemented during a four year period until 2015. The parties confirmed their commitment to cooperate in the programme’s implementation which will be regularly monitored.
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