International Women's Day marked in Moldova today

The International Women's Day today is marked Moldova, alongside many other countries around the world. The holiday, annually held on March 8, aims to highlight both the social, political and economic achievements of women and the discrimination and violence which still persist in many countries worldwide, reports MOLDPRES.

According to the National Statistics Bureau (BNS), in Moldova, women make up about 53 per cent of the country's population. The life expectancy of women is higher than men’s one. Thus, women live, on average, 8-9 years longer than men.

At the same time, data shows that women marry earlier than men. The average age for women at first marriage in 2023 was 27 years compared to 30 years for men.

“Women have a higher level of education than men. However, their employment rate is lower than men’s one. Women mainly work in the services sector. They are more inclined than men to prefer salaried activities and formal jobs. Nevertheless, in 2023, women earned, on average, 15.6 per cent less than men, amounting to 84.4 per cent of the average male earnings,” according to BNS data.

Two out of three enterprises of Moldova are led by men, with only enterprises in the education sector predominantly led by women. Unemployment affects men more than women.

The proportion of male leaders at all levels is higher than women’s one in leadership positions. In 2023, 56.4 per cent out of all leaders were men and 43.6 were women.

“Women's participation in decision-making in parliament shows a representation of 40 per cent. At the end of 2024, 40 out of 100 MPs were women, compared to 31.8 per cent at the European level and 27.2 per cent globally,” BNS data shows.

The proportion of women in the total number of police personnel, including civil protection and border guards, in early 2024, was 26.1 per cent. At the same time,  the proportion of women among judges, at the beginning of 2025, was 52 per cent.

International Women's Day was adopted in 1977 through a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly. On March 8, International Women's Day is marked in 60 countries. In some countries, including Moldova, this day is declared public holiday.