Développement économique et social

This policy brief draws attention to the value of external audits to Governments’ efforts to leave no one behind. It highlights some impacts of audit reports on equity, equality and inclusion. It then presents observations and examples from a review of audit report recommendations, which can inform and guide Governments in strengthening their work in this area.

The post-electoral survey presents the most important facts and results about 2021 Parliamentary Elections. The main purpose of the survey was to measure the impact of civic education campaigns of voters aimed at changes in voters’ perception of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) and the Centre for Continuous Electoral Training (CCET) activity. The data are analyzed in comparison with three other poste-electoral surveys: Presidential Elections held in November 2020, Parliamentary Elections held in February 2019 and Local General Elections held in October 2019. The research was conducted on the basis of a nationally representative sample, covering both rural and urban areas. The target group included the population with the right to vote aged 18 years and over, residing in 314 localities across the country. 70% of questionnaires were developed in Romanian, and 30% in Russian. The sampling error is ± 2.6%. The data were collected in August – September 2021. The opinion survey has been conducted in the framework of the “Enhancing Democracy in Moldova through Inclusive and Transparent Elections” project implemented by UNDP Moldova, with the financial support from the American people provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The expressed points of view belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the UNDP, financing institution or Government of the Republic of Moldova.

Thirty years ago, Member States gathered at the first World Summit for Social Development recognized that good health is both a consequence and a driver of social development and committed to reducing mortality rates among children under age 5. Since then, levels of child mortality have fallen significantly (United Nations, 2024). Yet, as the world prepares for the Second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025, profound disparities in child health and survival persist within and among countries, making it difficult for those furthest behind to break out of mutually rein-forcing cycles of poor health, poverty and social exclusion. This policy brief explores disparities in child mortality within and among countries and provides a series of recommendations aimed at ending preventable child deaths and reducing inequalities in child survival in different contexts.