Demographic Situation
As of January 1, 2025, the number of children aged 0–17 in the Republic of Moldova accounted for 553.0 thousand1, representing 23.2% of the usual resident population. The number of live births in 2025 was 22.1 thousand, marking a decrease of 6.6% compared to 2024. Of the total number of live births, 51.2% were boys.
Children’s Education
At the end of 2025, the number of children enrolled in early education institutions was 122.9 thousand, about 4.3 thousand less than at the end of 2024. In 2025, just over half of the children in early education institutions were enrolled in urban institutions (52.4%), and 51.7% of the children were boys. In primary and general secondary education, there were 334.6 thousand students enrolled. By sex and place of residence, 51.0% of students were boys, and 57.3% studied in urban areas.
Social Protection of Children
According to the data of National Office of Social Insurance, as of January 1, 2026, the number of recipients of the lump sum childbirth indemnity accounted for 32.9 thousand persons (8.3% less than on January 1, 2025). The number of recipients (mothers, fathers, and other persons) of the monthly child-raising indemnity for children up to 3 years old was 32.0 thousand (5.1% less compared to January 1, 2025), while the number of recipients of the monthly child care indemnity for children up to 2 years old was 63.2 thousand (2.4% less compared to January 1, 2025).
As of January 1, 2026, 13.2 thousand children with disabilities received monthly state social allowances, 49.7% of them being children with severe disabilities.
According to data from the Household Budget Survey (HBS), in 2025, the minimum subsistence level for children was 3044.0 lei.
According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, by the end of 2025, around 17.4 thousand children were registered as being at risk2. By age group: 11.3% were aged 0–2 years old, 22.6% were 3–6 years old, 55.4% were 7–15 years old, and 10.7% were 16–17 years old. Among the at-risk children, 458 had disabilities.
Children’s Health
According to the data of National Agency for Public Health, at the end of 2025, the number of pediatricians accounted for 450. At the end of 2025, the structure of overall morbidity among children aged 0–17 years was dominated by diseases of the respiratory system, accounting for 199.6 thousand cases (65.3%), followed by injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes with 27.7 thousand cases (9.1%), and infectious and parasitic diseases with 20.8 thousand cases (6.8%). In 2025, the number of new cases of malignant neoplasms increased, reaching 16.5 new cases per 100,000 children aged 0–17 years. Likewise, there were 17.2 new cases of active tuberculosis per 100,000 children aged 0–17 years.
Juvenile Delinquency
According to the data of Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2025 a total of 428 crimes were committed by or with the participation of minors, representing 1.9% of all registered crimes. The most frequently committed offences by juveniles continued to be thefts - 58.6% of the total number of offences, followed by hooliganism (9.6%), vehicle theft (6.3%), robberies (4.9%), drug-related offences (4.0%), and other offences (16.6%). The total number of minors who committed crimes in 2025 was 580.
According to the data of Agency for Digitalization in Justice and Judicial Administration, by the end of 2025, the number of minors convicted in the first instance was 278.
According to the data of National Penitentiary Administration, in 2025 the number of minors detained in penitentiary institutions, including in pre-trial detention, was 36.
Household Characteristics with Children
According to the Household Budget Survey, in 2025, 30.0% of all households had children under 18 years of age, of which 47.0% had one child, 34.5% had two children, and 18.4% had three or more. By household type, they were mainly composed of family couples (58.9%). Single-parent households accounted for 9.5% of all households with children. Among all households with children, 11.4% had at least one member working abroad or seeking employment abroad. The main source of income for households with children was salaried work (62.1%), followed by social benefits (10.3%), non-agricultural self-employment (8.9%), and agricultural self-employment (4.5%).
More detailed information is available in Romanian language.
Notes:
1 The data on the number of children in the population with usual residence are estimated based on the results of the 2024 Population and Housing Census. The data as of 1 January 2025 are preliminary.
Usual residence is defined as the place where a person has predominantly lived during the last 12 months, regardless of temporary absences (for recreation, holidays, visits to relatives and friends, business, medical treatment, religious pilgrimages, etc.).
2 The concept of child at risk, violence, and neglect are used in accordance with Law No. 140/2013 on the special protection of children at risk and children separated from their parents.