According to IOM statistics almost 50% of migrants reported that their health in host countries had been poor, about 22 % of the migrants had blamed their worsening health abroad on poor working conditions and nearly half of all returning migrants 45% said to have worked in unhealthy conditions abroad. Migrants and mobile population are at high risk of HIV as they have limited access to information, health services, some of them become victims of human traffic; the majority of them are separate from their spouses/regular partners and practice risky behavior (unsafe sex, commercial sex services, sex among men). Besides this, HIV infected migrants can infect their spouses/partners on their returning back to the country of origin.
 
Nearly 2,800 Moldovans are registered as living with HIV/AIDS in the country since the onset of the epidemic in the late 1980's, according to local authorities. However the real number of the people living with HIV could be considerably higher and the sexual way of transition is growing every year, including people who got the infection living/working abroad or having sexual contacts with the citizens of Moldova coming home

Prevention of HIV among Moldovan Migrants

IOM Moldova follows its strategy on improving medical services for migrants abroad. Its programme involves pilot information campaigns in destination countries such as Russia and Italy as well as mass information campaign and outreach activities within Moldova itself, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS and STI. A comprehensive research "Health Risks of Migration: The Link between Health and Migration with Particular Consideration of Knowledge and Attitudes towards HIV/STIs and the Sexual Practices of Moldovan Migrants" is going to be conducted.
 
In addition, IOM will also bring together local government agencies, international experts and civil society in Moldova for a round table "Migration and Health"; it will serve an additional purpose of raising awareness among partners to migrant health issues and advocating policies in the filed.

Holocaust Survivors Interviews Project

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the public knowledge of persecution by National Socialism in Central and Eastern Europe during World War II, keeping alive the memory of the persecuted survivors as well as to facilitate of the survivors communities' insight into their own history - in line with the efforts of the German Foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future" to promote scientific and social initiatives in support of victims of National Socialism.

Humanitarian & Social Programme

As part of the Holocaust Victim Assets Litigation (Swiss Banks), IOM has been designated by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to put in place humanitarian programmes for certain groups of survivors of Nazi persecution. As a partner organization of the German Foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future", IOM is developing social programmes benefiting Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialist injustice. IOM-Moldova through its implementing partner the Salvation Army delivered home heating and other assistance including food parcels, medicine, hygienic products, as well as bed linens, clothing and blankets to over 2300 elderly Roma now living in 280 localities across Moldova. Another local partner, the NGO Interaction, distributed humanitarian products and rendered social assistance to 40 disabled elderly beneficiaries in Transdniestria region.