Providing access to quality and inclusive education for refugee and host-community children in Moldova.

ECW in Moldova

Since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, ongoing armed conflict has triggered internal displacement and an influx of refugees in neighbouring countries. Moldova, along with Poland, has received the highest number of refugees comparative to its population size. The sudden arrival of refugees from Ukraine has placed tremendous pressure on the Molodvian educational system to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of children seeking an education. Education Cannot Wait is supporting the Moldovian Ministry of Education and Research and partners through a First Emergency Response (FER) grant to ensure that displaced girls and boys have equitable access to inclusive and quality learning opportunities in Moldova.

Geographical Areas of ECW-funded Interventions
Moldova map
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Investments

Financial Information

National Counterparts

Ministry of Education and Research

Results

Programme Info

Girl attending class
The conflict in Ukraine, sparked by the invasion of Russia in February 2022, has forced its citizens to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Hundreds of thousands of girls and boys have fled with their families into Moldova in pursuit of peace and the normalcy of the life they once knew.

In response to the influx of refugees, the Ministry of Education and Research has adopted regulations that allow the inclusion of refugees into the national education system. However, this open refugee policy has placed additional strain on an already fragile educational system.

ECW’s FER supports partners to ensure refugee girls and boys, including adolescents, have access to formal education in Moldovan public schools. Catch up and remedial classes are available to refugee and host community children based on their individual needs to address learning loss.The FER also supports the implementation of WASH in school interventions, including the distribution of hygiene and dignity kits (including menstrual hygiene kits) and awareness campaigns in education facilities across Moldova, particularly in underserved areas and education facilities hosting high numbers of vulnerable Moldovan and refugee girls and boys.
ECW and partners are also working to ensure that these crisis-affected children and adolescents have access to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services and are able to learn in a safe, protective environment.

Programme Components

  • Access to inclusive and quality learning. Students in refugee and host communities receive online education equipment and other devices to help facilitate their learning. Students are also offered remedial and catch up classes.
  • Access to safe and clean learning environments. School interventions implement WASH and hygiene awareness campaigns. Additionally, girls receive menstrual hygiene and dignity kits.
  • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. In targeted communities, implementing partners organize activities on topics such as Gender Based Violence awareness and prevention, sexual and reproductive rights awareness, mental health and stress release. 
  • Support for teachers. Teachers and education personnel from schools receive training on MHPSS, Gender Based Violence, Child Protection and Child Safeguarding and referral systems.

For more information on ECW's work in Ukraine, please contact Graham Lang (glang@un-ecw.org).

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