Moldova is undertaking a wide, yet quiet approach toward transforming its delivery of care and support to its most vulnerable by going digital. UNICEF, the UNDP and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection worked in collaboration to create the project, which aims to create a digital and unified social protection program to improve access to the services, as well as transparency and long-term stability of the infrastructure. These innovations in poverty eradication in Moldova mark a critical shift in the country: from fragmented paper-based services toward a human-centered, data-driven welfare system which puts equity, inclusion and efficiency at the core of Moldovan social protection systems.
Moldova’s Financial and Social Challenges
Moldova, considered Europe’s poorest country, faces deep economic fragility and rising poverty. In 2024, 33.6 % of its people lived in absolute poverty and 15.4% in extreme poverty. Rural areas suffer disproportionately with inflation worsening inequality, energy price shocks and spillover from the war in Ukraine. Reliance on remittances and outdated welfare mechanisms leaves many without timely support. Fragmented, paper-based assistance systems struggle to protect vulnerable families. Strengthening and unifying social protection is essential—not only to reduce poverty but to improve resilience against economic shocks, safeguard children and ensure inclusive growth.
From a Fragmented System to Integrated Support
Until recently, the Moldovan government distributed social assistance programs across more than 60 disconnected initiatives. For citizens, especially those in low-income or remote areas, these systems were largely inaccessible. Meanwhile, social workers on the frontline were also constrained by these circumstances, relying upon manual processes to track cases.
To address these systemic issues, in 2025, Moldova, through the Ministry of Labor and Social protection and with the support of UNDP, launched eSocial. This new digital system is a unified digital platform which aims to centralize access to welfare benefits, child protection, disability support and other critical services. Alongside this rollout, the country established the Digital Centre for Social Innovation, a hub which supports system design, piloting and workforce training.
Unifying Services onto One Platform
The digital innovations in poverty eradication currently underway in Moldova spans multiple agencies, with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection spearheading changes across social services (RESTART), the National Employment Agency, the State Labor Inspectorate and the National Council for Determination of Disability and Work Capacity.
The Digital Transformation of Social Protection Project, supported by UNDP, is the binding force. It ensures that digital tools improve efficiency and coordination across all reforms, linking social benefits, employment programs and energy subsidies into a single accessible framework.
To complete the digital shift, the project also plans to redesign up to two regional social offices, creating physical one-stop-shops to mirror the streamlined experience online. Together, these changes aim to make Moldova’s welfare system not only modern, but also more human-focused and integrated.
Empowering Workers, Supporting Families
One of the most visible changes has been in the day-to-day lives of Moldova’s social workers. In 2024, UNICEF distributed more than 1,900 digital devices among staff, enabling them to manage cases in real time, coordinate services across agencies and spend more time working directly with families.
Beyond equipment, the reform focuses on system-wide functionality, such as digital referrals, case tracking and early warning indications. This allows social workers to shift from reactive crisis response to preventive, individually-focused care.
UNICEF’s design approach emphasizes the need for simplicity, accessibility and inclusion. Families with children, those with disabilities and elderly individuals now face fewer bureaucratic hurdles when seeking access to social protection and care. The program and its developers are creating and implementing digital tools for users, ensuring that even those with low digital literacy can participate.
Inclusion at its Core
The decision to digitize social protection is as much about values as it is about infrastructure. UNICEF and UNDP are embedding human rights principles into every facet of the system: ensuring service equity, targeting rural-urban disparities and focusing on those whom the system previously excluded, especially children in institutional care and families living within extreme poverty.
The shift toward proactive service delivery means identifying vulnerable groups and responding prior to escalation. This not only improves outcomes but also reduces long-term costs for the state.
As UNICEF stated in a press release from 2024, its decision to digitize is an effort to strengthen the social protection system, not only empowering the frontline workers, but also preventing and addressing urgent risks faced by children in a more efficient way.
A Blueprint for Welfare in the Digital Age
The innovations in poverty eradication in Moldova, a move toward a digitized social protection system, signals a quiet yet profound shift in how the state supports its people. What began as a technical reform is quickly becoming a reimagining of care, one rooted in access, accountability and modern infrastructure. As the country continues to roll out new systems and strengthen its frontline services, its experience could serve as a blueprint for other nations navigating similar challenges. For now, Moldova is still progressing the digital welfare reformation, however, the path forward is clearer and more unified than ever before.
– Elizabeth Occleston
Elizabeth is based in Southport, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash