Chisinau – The Centre for Demographic Research in partnership with UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, launched the Policy Paper "Integral Territorial Security Demographic Index for Moldova" which has given an overview and profiles the administrative-territorial units based on the criteria of demographic security. The index is based on four key blocks: demographic development, health, social security and labour market conditions.
Presenting the results of the Index, Olga Gagauz, Head of the Centre for Demographic Research said that two cities, Chisinau and Balti, accumulate the highest score according to Integral Territorial Security Demographic Index - 70.2 and 60.6 points respectively, while the lowest Index is scored by - Ocniţa (46.5), Cantemir (46.4), Donduşeni (45.5) and Soldanesti (44.6) raions.
In the area of demographic development, the highest values were recorded for Chisinau (67.5) and Central raions: Dubasari (66.7) and Ialoveni (66.4), while the lowest values are registered in the Northern raions: Briceni, Ocnita and Donduseni, who accumulated between 30.5 and 37.4 points respectively.
Regarding the health index, Nisporeni scores the highest with 72.6 points, Chisinau and three raions - Orhei, Cimislia and Cahul accumulated between 65 and 70 points. The raions that have accumulated the lowest score are Singerei, Floresti and Soldanesti Cantemir.
In terms of the social index, Chişinău with 88.4 points, about two times higher score than the rest of the country, is leading the top, with a score. The second place is occupied by Balti and Dubasari, with obtained 79.0 and 77.2 points respectively. The lowest scores were recorded for Leova, Hincesti, Nisporeni, Cantemir, Telenesti and Soldanesti, which are in the range from 49.5 to 55 points.
In terms of occupational index, the highest score was registered by Chisinau (57.2 points). The second place is occupied by Balti with 42 points, followed by Cimislia (40.4). The Northern raions: Ocnita, Donduseni, Edinet, Riscani, Drochia, Glodeni, Falesti, Sangerei and Floresti with the lowest scores oscillating between 28.2 to 32.8 points, are closing the top.
The Integral Territorial Security Demographic Index demonstrates a significant gap in the area of socio-economic and demographic development of administrative-territorial units. Lack of employment opportunities, low wages and low level of social security correlates with the growth of emigration rate, contributing to worsening of the demographic situation, to the depopulation and to the demographic aging. Under the current conditions, the promotion of a territorial development strategy based on balanced development of regions and increasing the living standards of the population has to become a priority for the public policies.
Anastasia Oceretnii, the Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family said that continuous monitoring of demographic security is a very necessary measure that shows the support for the evidence-based policy making in order to improve the living conditions for the population. The local governments may use this data to come up with strategies for local development.
Eduard Mihalas, the UNFPA Moldova Programme Analyst on Population and Development and Gender underlined that UNFPA Moldova will support the Government of Moldova on the way of rethinking the demographic policies, including the reduction of territorial disparities, based on human rights evidence and international experience to respond to rapid population decline, low life expectancy, aging population and labour migration.
