• UNFPA delivered post-rape care kits to all hospitals, youth friendly health clinics and emergency units across Moldova, and trained nearly 800 health professionals to use them

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Moldova works with the government and partners to ensure that national systems are in place to prevent and support survivors of violence in Moldova. 

This includes the development of the referral pathways with partners, based on the existing national protocols, which provide detailed information on where and how survivors can access the services; creation of Orange Safe Spaces at the refugee temporary placement centres; as well as strengthening of the clinical management of rape through training of the service providers and delivery of the post-rape care kits to all hospitals, youth friendly health clinics and emergency units.

“The refugee crisis has a female face. Refugee women and girls affected by the war are at increased risk of gender-based violence”, said Nigina Abaszada, UNFPA Moldova Representative. “UNFPA is on the ground to scale up life-saving services for women and girls and builds robust systems to prevent and support survivors of violence in Moldova.”

This includes initiatives to protect women and girls from gender-based violence and ensure that survivors of violence have access to women-centered specialized health, psychosocial, legal and other support services.

In case of sexual violence, aside from long-lasting mental health impact, the experience can damage women’s health in many ways – injuries, unintended pregnancy and pregnancy complications, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, pelvic pain, urinary tract infections, fistula and chronic conditions. 

Therefore, it is critical that the survivors of sexual violence access the clinical care, including supportive counseling, within 72 hours after the incident to prevent and manage possible health consequences.

UNFPA equipped all the emergency units, maternities and youth friendly health clinics across Moldova with the post-rape care supplies. The life-saving kits include medicines for prevention and treatment of the sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, as well as emergency contraception. 

Nearly 800 health professionals were trained at all levels of maternities, youth friendly health clinics and emergency units on the clinical management of rape. The trainings delivered in collaboration with the State University of Medicine, Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu” and in coordination with the Ministry of Health, focused on the national protocols on multi-sectoral response to gender-based violence and the role of healthcare providers in offering compassionate, survivor-centered high quality medical care. 

“In addition to strengthening the systems, it is important that the survivors of violence know where and how they can access the services while here in Moldova,” said UNFPA Representative. “When a woman learns that the specialized services exist and it is safe and survivor-centered, the demand for services also increase.”