Photo by Sasha Pleshco on Unsplash. Used under an Unsplash license.
Independent Moldovan online media outlet NewsMaker published an article based on the National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova's data about women living in Moldova today. Global Voices translated and edited the article for clarity with permission from the NewsMaker.
There are more women than men in Moldova, and they live longer
In Moldova, there are more women than men. According to the data presented, there are 90 men for every 100 women. However, this ratio varies depending on age. For example, up to the age of 14, there are 106 men for every 100 women. Over the age of 65, it's only 61.
Women live on average 8.6 years longer. This gap is due to a higher level of premature mortality among men, especially those of working age. Also, according to the bureau, the average lifespan of rural residents (both men and women) is about two years less than that of city dwellers.
Women in Moldova marry earlier, are more educated and earn less
The average age of women entering their first marriage in 2022 was 26 years, compared to 29 years for men. Even so, women aged 25–64 have a higher level of education compared to men of the same age. For example, 25.1 percent of women versus 19 percent of men aged 24-65 have higher education. Nonetheless, men earn on average 15.5 percent more than women. According to the data, in 2022, the average earnings of men were 11,380 lei (644 USD), while for women — 9,618 lei (544 USD). Meanwhile, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, there are 7.9% fewer working women than men.
Women in Moldova are less likely to hold leadership positions, though Moldova has a woman president
Men hold 55.4 percent of leadership positions, while women hold 44.6 percent. At the beginning of 2022, the women's share of seats in the Parliament of Moldova was 40.4 percent. At the same time, about 25 percent of law enforcement officers are women, but more than 50 percent of judges are women.
Despite this, Moldova boasts a female president. Maia Sandu, born on May 24, 1972, has served as Moldova's president since December 24, 2020. Before her presidency, she founded and led the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), also serving as Moldova's prime minister from June 8, 2019, to November 14, 2019. Sandu secured the presidency through a decisive victory in the 2020 elections, marking her as Moldova's first female president. She is a vocal advocate for Moldova joining the European Union, playing a pivotal role in achieving candidate status for the country, and aligns with pro-Western ideals. Sandu has openly criticized Russia's military actions in Ukraine, actively working to lessen Moldova's economic reliance on Russia while offering steadfast support and solidarity with Ukraine.
Written by GV Contributor, Daria Dergacheva
This post originally appeared on Global Voices.
