Chisinau – The meeting of the International Advisory Panel on Population and Development (IAPPD) - Moldova will take place in Chisinau on 17-18 October.

The IAPPD was created at the initiative of the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Panel members are renowned international experts in fields related to demography, fertility, aging and sexual and reproductive health. The IAPPD aims to support countries that undergo through different demographic changes to elaborate evidence-based solutions based on the experience of other countries in this field. The Republic of Moldova is the first country benefiting from the international expertise and the UNFPA assistance in this regard.

Moldova, like many other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia faces a number of significant changes in terms of population dynamics. Being one of the youngest countries in Europe (25% of the population are young people aged between 16 and 30), the population is aging rapidly (16.2% of the people are 60 years old and older). At the same time, low fertility rates, increased mortality, high levels of migration of Moldovan population are the most important demographic challenges for the Government.

During two days, representatives of the Government and Parliament of Moldova, the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Istanbul), the World Bank, international experts (New York, London, Budapest and Prague), academics and Moldovan civil society representatives will discuss the economic impact of demographic policies, the policies related to sexual and reproductive health, and those related to the aging population. A new concept vision for population and development policies for Moldova, which sets the strategic actions of the Government on the demographic situation in the country, will be presented during the IAPPD meeting. 

The IAPPD conclusions and recommendations, including possible interventions in response to the current demographic challenges, will be discussed on October 18 at the meeting of the National Commission for Population and Development, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Brega.

For more information: Ganna Iovchu, UNFPA Moldova Communication Officer, tel. 068988015 or e-mail: iovchu@unfpa.org