RSES - NIER

Institutional Repository of National Institute for Economic Research

Welcome to the platform of the open repository in the field of economic and social research of the National Institute of Economic Research from Republic of Moldova.

The repository is a digital archive and offers users open access to publications with full text for scientific, educational and methodological purposes. The materials placed in the collections are allowed to be used exclusively non-profit, with the compulsory indication of the author of the work and hyperlinks at this archive.

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    Not now, maybe never: fertility hesitation, spiritual reframing and self-care cultures in urban Romania
    (INCE, ASEM, 2025) Dragomir, Mihaela
    This study explores fertility hesitation as a cultural syndrome shaped by emerging self-care ideologies and spiritual practices among urban Romanian women. In a context of declining birth rates and shifting life transitions, it examines how yoga functions as more than a physical discipline - offering a framework for navigating existential uncertainty, emotional resilience, and evolving concepts of fulfillment. Drawing on seven semi-structured interviews with female yoga practitioners aged 25-40, the research highlights a move away from traditional reproductive expectations toward individualized well-being narratives. Participants often described motherhood as a source of potential disruption to personal autonomy and emotional balance. Yoga served not only as a coping mechanism, but also as a lens through which participants redefined what it means to live a meaningful life. Rather than treating fertility decline purely as an economic or demographic issue, the study frames it as part of a broader cultural reorientation. Spiritual self-care becomes a symbolic system that prioritizes introspection, autonomy, and holistic well-being - frequently at odds with institutional pronatalist messages. These findings contribute to understanding how demographic behaviors are embedded in deeper shifts in identity, belief, and quality of life in post-communist societies.
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    Percepția egalității de gen în Republica Moldova: tendințe, schimbări și provocări
    (INCE, ASEM, 2025) Cheianu-Andrei, Diana
    This article examines recent developments and key determinants of gender equity in the Republic of Moldova during the period 2015-2024, within a context shaped by institutional reforms, international pressures, and internal cultural resistance. Baced on analysis of data from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), conducted in 2015 and 2024, authors provides a comprehensive overview of gender relations dynamics, starting from the theoretical distinction between equality and equity, applying an intersectional sociological approach. Using a multi-theoretical framework - gender role theory, family decision-making theory, social change theory, and institutional theory - the article highlights significant progress in strengthening the legislative framework, promoting female leadership, and increasing the flexibility of family policies. The analysis focuses on the interconnection between cultural norms, institutional processes, and civil society initiatives, exploring not only the progress achieved but also the persistent systemic resistances. The findings reveal a positive evolution in the field of gender equity but also highlight enduring structural challenges: deeply rooted gender stereotypes, economic inequalities, and the politicization of the gender equality discourse, and provide opportunities for developing evidence-based programs on gender equality, as well, guidens fordesigning of public awareness campaigns.
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    From early to late fertility: comparative evidence from Romania and Moldova
    (INCE, ASEM, 2025) Popescu, Raluca; Grigoras, Ecaterina; Virdol, Dan
    This study examines fertility dynamics in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, two Eastern European countries with common cultural roots but divergent political, social, and economic trajectories after the 1990s. Using vital statistics for 19712023, the analysis finds that the total fertility rate (TFR) in 2023 was 1.5 in Romania and 1.6 in Moldova, marginally above the levels recorded in many other European countries. Applying the postponement–recuperation model proposed by T. Frejka, we investigate shifts in both the tempo and quantum of fertility. Romania experienced an earlier onset of fertility postponement, around 1994, with the mean age at first birth rising from 22.6 years in the early 1990s to 27.2 years in 2023. By contrast, Moldova underwent a later and slower transition, beginning around 1997, with the mean age at first birth increasing only to 24.4 years by 2023. The postponement index rose steadily in both countries, surpassing 0.70 in Romania but stabilizing around 0.65 in Moldova. These results emphasize the divergent pace of adaptation to late fertility regimes and highlight the influence of social, economic, and cultural conditions on reproductive behavior.
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    Measuring active aging in a non-EU context: the case of the Republic of Moldova
    (INCE, ASEM, 2025) Buciuceanu-Vrabie, Mariana
    The paper details a transparent methodological pathway for applying the UNECE/European Commission Active Ageing Index (AAI) outside the EU, using the Republic of Moldova as a case study. Building on earlier national AAI editions (2016, 2020), we describe a reproducible approach that triangulates official statistics, census-based structural covariates, and survey microdata; specifies principled proxies where original indicators are unavailable; and conducts robustness checks on weights, thresholds, and missingness. The same architecture will underpin forthcoming 2024 estimates for Moldova, integrating multiple data sources to maximize comparability with EU practice and to ensure transparent reporting. Beyond the case study, the paper positions this pathway as a practical blueprint for monitoring active ageing in heterogeneous statistical environments, enhancing policy relevance while maintaining clarity about assumptions and limits of comparability.
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    From challenges to the sustainability of the pension system in Moldova
    (INCE, ASEM, 2025) Gagauz, Olga
    The article assesses the sustainability of the pension system in the Republic of Moldova, considering demographic ageing, economic vulnerability, and institutional change. Using a comparative approach, the study draws on national statistics, international databases, and policy documents to evaluate Moldova’s pension system alongside selected European Union countries - Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, and Romania, with similar historical and demographic backgrounds. Key indicators gauge both pension adequacy and the sustainability of financing. The analysis reveals how demographic shifts, migration, and labour market trends influence pension outcomes, highlighting Moldova's specific vulnerabilities compared to its regional peers. The discussion also explores reform options suited to the Moldovan context, focusing on short-term measures to reinforce the public payas-you-go system and on long-term strategies to develop supplementary mechanisms, such as voluntary savings. By placing Moldova’s challenges within a broader European framework, the paper contributes to the debate on how countries with fragile economies can develop resilient pension systems that ensure social protection amidst ongoing demographic challenges and economic pressures.