NGOs in the Transnistrian Region, Moldova

2500 respondents participated in the poll, out of which 13% aging 18-25 years old; 25% aging 25-45 years old; and 62%- respondents whose age was above 45 years old. Out of the total number of respondents, 63% were women and only 37 % men.

Thereby, 73% do not possess any knowledge about the existence of NGOs in Transnistria, 15 % found difficulty in replying and only 13% knew about their existence. Accordingly 94% of the respondents are not members of any civic organization.

Replying to the question "What important social problems do you encounter most often?" the variant "unemployment" was chosen more frequently than the others (30%), a figure suggesting its urgency among the inhabitants of the region. The problem of poor medical care takes second place (27%). This is followed by the problems of employment (13%), imperfect legislation (12%), and that of high level of drug and alcohol addiction in the region (11%), all with similar figures.

However, the majority of the population (72%) responded that the NGO of their region does not take an active part in the decision making in reference to such problems. The problem of leisure (5%) and family violence (3%) constitutes a smaller concern for the population.

It was revealed that when answering the question "the decision of which of the below enumerated problems would you entrust the NGO with?", the respondents had chosen the problem of employment (24%) and the problem of poor medical care (21%); and the least the population would had entrusted the NGO with is the problem of family violence (8%).

Increasingly the society is in need of legal counseling (28%) and a hot-line for various problems (22%), as of today 91% of respondents are not given any support on the behalf of the civil organizations.

65% of respondents asserted that the information they are given about the activity of the non governmental organizations is not complete, and 24% affirmed they lack information at all. Thus, more that a half (58%) replied they know nothing of such activity, and any information that they had received had been during conversations with acquaintances or friends (21%).

Therefore 64% of the interviewed inhabitants of the Transnistrian region would like to learn more about the activity of the non governmental organizations, their opportunities and their contribution to the social life of the inhabitants of the region.

In terms of the findings, it is clear that there is a poor relationship between the inhabitants and the civic (non governmental) organizations of the Transnistrian region, moreover it is lacking in the rural environment. Consequently, there is a topical problem of people being inadequately informed. The activity of the Action Group "International Committee for Civil Diplomacy" from Tiraspol aims at the improvement of quality of awareness of the inhabitants of both urban and rural area of the Transnistrian region.