30th July 2026

Moldova: Joint Stakeholder Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review 54th Session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council

This joint submission by Equality Now, Roma Women’s Platform “ROMNI” and the Centre for Development and Support of Civic Initiatives “RESONANCE” assesses the Republic of Moldova’s implementation of recommendations from the third Universal Periodic Review cycle on gender-based violence against women and girls. 

It highlights gaps in laws, policies and practice concerning sexual violence, domestic violence, femicide, and child and forced marriage. It further examines the heightened barriers to justice and support faced by women and girls exposed to intersecting forms of discrimination, particularly Roma women and girls, women and girls with disabilities, and refugee women and girls. 

What’s included in the submission?

During the third UPR cycle, the Republic of Moldova supported multiple recommendations concerning the need for greater implementation of international standards on combating gender-based violence and ensuring effective access to justice for victims, including those exposed to intersecting forms of discrimination. The submission assesses progress in implementing these recommendations and finds that many remain only partially implemented. 

The submission’s recommendations underscore the necessity of aligning national legislation, policies and practices, and improving their implementation in accordance with international human rights standards to effectively prevent and address these forms of gender-based violence and ensure access to justice and support for survivors, including those facing intersecting discrimination. 

Who’s it for?

  • UN Human Rights Council/ UPR Working Group
  • Republic of Moldova Government Institutions
  • Policy and law makers
  • Civil Society Actors
  • Legal professionals

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Key takeaways and recommendations

  • Fully align national legislation, policies and practices on violence against women and girls with international human rights standards, including the Istanbul Convention.
  • Amend the Criminal Code’s definition of rape and its implementation so it is based on the absence of free, voluntary, and genuine consent, rather than coercion or a victim’s ability to resist.
  • Amend the Family Code to set 18 as the minimum age of marriage, with no exceptions, and ensure the effective enforcement of provisions on child and forced marriage to protect women and girls from these harmful practices.
  • Ensure prompt, impartial, and gender-sensitive investigation and prosecution of all cases of gender-based violence against women and girls, including femicide and sexual violence, taking into account intersecting forms of discrimination and the diverse needs of survivors.
  • Provide mandatory and continuous training for law enforcement, judicial officers, healthcare providers, social workers, and other frontline professionals on preventing and responding to gender-based violence against women and girls.
  • Integrate an intersectional approach across all gender-based violence laws and policies to address the compounded risks faced by Roma women, women with disabilities, and refugee women and girls.

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International standards applicable in cases of sexual violence

This document brings together key international and Inter-American human rights standards that require States to prevent, investigate and respond to sexual violence using survivor-centred and consent-based approaches.

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