Skopje, 10 December 2024 (MIA) - Skopje-based association Center for Civil Communications and activist Lila Milikj are this year's recipients of the "Meto Jovanovski" award for long-standing achievements in the field of promoting and protecting human rights.

CCC president German Filkov said at the award-presentation ceremony in the Parliament on Tuesday that the prize represents an incentive for their work on increasing transparency and facilitating citizens' access to information, thus ensuring their participation in the policy creation and decision-making processes, which in turn leads to better quality of life, improved public services, responsibility and accountability of institutions.

"This award is extremely important for CCC but for the whole of society as well. Most of all, because it affirms the right of access to information, one of the fundamental human rights recognized in international charters, declarations and documents, and our Constitution," said Filkov.

Slavcho Dimitrov received the award on behalf of Lila Milikj and read her remarks. She says this is the first time a transgender person is recognized by the state, a message that justice, equality and inclusion are possible.

"This award not only commends my commitment, but also the courage and perseverance of the entire transgender community. As a transgender person and an activist over the past 16 years, I do not see this struggle only as a collective effort, but as a personal one. I am proud to have been able to contribute to creating a space for dialogue, visibility and support, because I believe that every story brings about change," said Milikj.

The annual award, presented on December 10-Human Rights Day, is named after Meto Jovanovski (1928-2016), a Macedonian author and first president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in the country.

Photo: MIA