Chisinau - The first meeting of the International Advisory Panel on Population and Development – Republic of Moldova takes place in Chisinau on 21-22 April.

The Advisory Panel members are renowned international experts, with expertise in areas related to fertility, demography, aging and sexual and reproductive health. The Panel was created following the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia initiative. It has the aim to support countries transiting through different demographic stages to find evidence based solutions and taking into the account the experience of other countries in the field. Moldova will be the first country to benefit from the international expertise and 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 the population dynamics. Being one of the youngest countries in Europe (25% of the population are young people between 16 and 30 y.o.), its population is aging rapidly (16.2% are 60 y.o. and older). Meanwhile, the fertility rate in Moldova is 1.24 that is below the replacement rate of 2.1.

The representatives of the Government and the Parliament of Moldova, the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Istanbul), the international experts (New York, Vienna, London and Prague), the academia and civil society from Chisinau will discuss the possible action options in order to reply to the challenges faced by Moldova in the areas of (1) demographic security, (2) fertility and sexual and reproductive health, and (3) aging population during two days.

Ian McFarlane, the UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said that through the agency of the International Advisory Panel, UNFPA would help Moldova to develop public policies focused on the rights and needs of people. "The best possible policies are implemented to benefit the people. Therefore, in order to ensure that, for the first time we have established a joint Panel that will work in three areas: demographic change, sexual and reproductive health, and aging. We cooperate with many partners in order to change the way Governments respond to population dynamics. The emphasis should be on the rigorous analysis, evidence-based policies and human rights", he explained.

Boris Gîlca, Head of Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister, national expert in population and development underlined that Moldova would be the first country to benefit from the international expertise, which would help strengthen the Government's capacity to develop and implement policies that take into account the existing economic and financial realities, as well as the successful practices of other states. "The cooperation between the National Commission for Population and Development and the International Advisory Panel for Population and Development will ensure better policy formulation and coordination, as well as the development of a more coherent framework, aimed at ensuring the demographic security. I am sure that the platform will become Moldova's good practice, "concluded Boris Gîlca.

Dafina Gercheva, the UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova and Permanent Representative of UNDP said that Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted in September 2015 by all the governments of the world, including Moldova, give a new impetus to invest in the quality of people's lives and to meet the needs of the poor and those in vulnerable positions, so that no one is left behind. "The Panel's recommendations will help the Government to align with international standards and practices," said Dafina Gercheva.

The conclusions and the recommendations will be presented on April 22 during the meeting of the National Commission for Population and Development of the Republic of Moldova, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Brega.

The next meeting of the International Advisory Panel on Population and Development - Moldova will take place in September 2016.