Kyrgyzstan and Moldova have launched pilot surveys to measure the prevalence of violence against women, marking a key step in strengthening national responses to gender-based violence. These surveys, titled “Women’s Well-being and Safety,” are part of the regional programme “Empowering Equality: Strengthening Gender Data Systems in Europe and Central Asia,” implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, the UN Development Coordination Office, and national statistical offices under the Joint SDG Fund. The programme supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 by enhancing national capacities to collect, analyze, and disseminate gender statistics, laying the groundwork for scalable models across Europe and Central Asia.
In Kyrgyzstan, the National Statistical Committee is leading the survey to generate representative data on physical, psychological, and other forms of violence, both within and outside intimate relationships. The survey will explore contributing factors, access to support mechanisms, and the influence of societal norms. In 2024, 14,618 people sought assistance from crisis centres, with women accounting for 82 percent of cases and domestic violence representing 61 percent of reported incidents. Preparatory workshops held in July 2025 brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, crisis centres, and development partners to establish survey objectives, methodology, and ethical standards. Fieldwork is scheduled to begin in 2026. Officials emphasize that the survey will strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s policy response, inform the National Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality by 2030, and fulfill international commitments under CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the 2030 Agenda.
Moldova is undertaking a similar initiative, aligning its survey with Eurostat methodology to support commitments under the Istanbul Convention and the EU accession framework. The survey contributes to Moldova’s National Programme for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (2023–2027), enabling the collection of disaggregated data in line with international standards and supporting SDG indicators 5.2.1 and 5.2.2. A July 2025 workshop engaged around 40 participants from government, civil society, and public authorities to provide input on survey design, emphasizing intersectionality, confidentiality, and ethical data collection. Officials highlighted that the survey offers a unique national-level measurement of the prevalence and forms of violence, providing critical evidence to inform policy and interventions.
UN Women and UNFPA are providing technical and strategic support in both countries, covering methodology development, data analysis, and policy integration. Pilot surveys are expected in late 2025, with full-scale national surveys planned for 2026. The data collected will strengthen monitoring frameworks, enhance international comparability, and guide more effective, inclusive policies to prevent and combat violence against women. Regular, high-quality data collection remains a challenge in the region, making these surveys an important step toward evidence-based policymaking and long-term progress on gender equality.
