Acceptance with reservations: The level of tolerance towards minorities in Moldova in 2023

The analytical study explores societal attitudes and behaviors related to social cohesion, inclusion, and exclusion across different demographic groups. It assesses the factors influencing social distance, including cultural norms, economic disparities, and public policies, using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Key findings reveal persistent stereotypes and systemic inequalities that hinder social integration. The study offers actionable recommendations to foster inclusion through education, community engagement, and policy reforms, aiming to build a more cohesive society. Social relations play an important role in shaping a cohesive society. The latter is characterised by resilient social relations, a positive emotional connection between its members and a pronounced focus on the common good. The degree to which members of society accept each other defines the existing social relations.

This analysis presents the level of acceptance of minority groups by the population of the Republic of Moldova. The establishment of the level of acceptance was achieved through the Social Distance Index, which measures the social distance manifested towards 13 minority groups in the Republic of Moldova, by updating and replicating the Bogardus social distance scale. In this context, social distance is defined as the level at which the population would accept various degrees of closeness (friends, neighbours, work colleagues, family members, etc.) with representatives of minority groups. The lower the level of acceptance, the higher the level of social distance. According to the data, a large part of society still manifests discriminatory attitudes towards certain social groups. In the case of LGBTQI+ people, people living with HIV and former prisoners, the level of social distance (acceptance level) exceeds the value of 3, which suggests that representatives of the respective groups are not accepted as family members, friends, neighbors or co-workers, and in the case of LGBTQI+ people – not even as citizens of the country. Pronounced discriminatory attitudes are also attested in relation to people of Muslim religion, people of African origin, people of Roma ethnicity.

This report is only available in Romanian.

Source: Partnership for Development Centre, February 2024