Skopje, 7 March 2025 (MIA) – Women in the country still face discrimination and prejudice in many areas of society. A comprehensive approach and cooperation between institutions are needed to improve women’s position in social activities. These were some of the conclusions from Friday’s 39th Parliament’s plenary session, where discussions focused on "30 Years of Efforts and Achievements in Advancing Women's Status and Future Action Plans" to mark International Women's Day.

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova encouraged the female MPs to remain in the Parliament, fight their battles there, and make their voices heard. She emphasized that women continue to defy prejudices, stereotypes, and patriarchal frustrations in the absence of many emancipated men.

“One thing I will never forget is that I was part of a Parliament with 51 women. I had hoped that this number would rise in the next elections, but instead, it has fallen to 47. This is not about pride or self-importance, it is about the fact that we are losing wisdom, knowledge, energy, and creativity at a time when we need them most, especially in an era of crisis. The poet and winner of the Struga Poetry Evenings, Jean-Pierre Siméon, once said, 'Poets and poetry will save the world.' I say that women are poetry amid the drama, amid the global tragedy, and I firmly believe that women will save the world. Salvation lies in women,” said Siljanovska-Davkova.

She underscored that gender-based violence, in her view, is a crime that knows no borders, transcends cultures, disregards socio-economic status, and demands unified action, not only from the government and the region but also on a broader scale.

“One in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime. If the problem is global, then it must be addressed on a global scale. In times of war, the risks for women double, as women and girls are even instrumentalized for military purposes. I believe that digital platforms have a transformative potential, but we must not ignore or remain silent about the fact that they are also fertile ground for online violence, online abuse, severe harassment, and serious exploitation. These are tragic stories of unfortunate people, individuals whose security, peace, dignity, and freedom have been taken away. A confused and disoriented humanity needs a world where violence against young women and girls, as well as violence against any human being, is no longer tolerated,” President Siljanovska-Davkova said.

Parliament Speaker, Afrim Gashi, emphasized that women continue to face various challenges despite the existing laws. He pointed out that although there are laws protecting against discrimination, women still encounter discrimination and prejudice in the labour market, education, science, and culture.
“And if we talk about healthy families, we still lack full recognition of the mother as the main pillar of both the family and society. Despite the laws protecting against domestic violence, we still hear about tragedies and victims of violence on a daily basis. Even with strategies for promoting entrepreneurship, the number of female entrepreneurs remains low. Furthermore, the representation of women in leadership positions remains limited and is mostly confined to what is mandated by quotas. Men should be just as engaged and active in this fight because the benefits of an equal society are enjoyed by men as much as they are by women. Women are not our rivals, nor a threat to men's space, but two complementary beings that complement one another,” Gashi said.

He emphasized that a comprehensive approach and cooperation among institutions, courts, organizations, media, men, and women are necessary to overcome prejudices and ensure an equal environment. He stressed that the Parliament will continue to support any initiative that contributes to advancing this cause.

Parliament's Secretary General, Marina Dimovska, underscored that significant steps forward have made so far, but as he said, the journey toward gender equality is far from complete. She noted that the number of women in politics is increasing year by year. Women’s participation in the Parliament has been steadily growing, the numbers should not be the sole indicator of progress.

“Women need to be fundamentally involved in decision-making. We must aim for women to occupy leadership roles in all sectors, including business, science, and technology. Gender equality in leadership is a key factor to ensure that the policies and initiatives we implement address the diverse needs of all members of society. We need to motivate and encourage women to take on leadership positions and create spaces where their voices will be heard and respected. Only through solidarity and unity among women will we overcome societal stereotypes. In the future, we must continue working on the political and institutional empowerment of women by creating support and mentorship programs for young women in politics and administration,” Dimovska said.

Zhaklina Peshevska, Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities among Women and Men and VMRO-DPMNE MP, noted that statistical data shows a higher number of women with higher education. She questioned what kind of independence we are talking about when a women’s independence is defined as economic independence.

“If a woman successfully manages a family, then why wouldn't she be a successful manager in municipalities or anywhere in society, yet we still have a few female mayors? The reasons shouldn't be viewed from a one-sided perspective. We should always be partners in decision-making alongside men. But if we sit at the same table with men and don't raise our voices to address the community's needs, we will achieve nothing. It has been proven that greater female representation in politics leads to lower levels of conflict, greater respect for human rights, and increased trust in institutions,” Peshevska said.

European Front’s MP, Dijana Toska, emphasized the need to strengthen support for women victims of domestic violence, stressing that the issue must be addressed more fundamentally.

“This includes providing shelter in all regions, psychological services, and legal support for victims. Economic empowerment must remain one of the top priorities, as women still have limited access to financial resources and face barriers in entrepreneurship. There should be an increase in services for women and the elderly that will provide greater economic and social mobility for women. In the future, the focus should be on improving the implementation of existing laws and policies, rather than limiting ourselves to their adoption,” Toska said.

An MP from VLEN coalition, Feride Haxhiu, noted that the Government is working on ensuring equal opportunities for women and men, which allows us to value the progress made so far. However, as she mentioned, there is still much to be done.

“As a society, we must continue to strengthen policies promoting equal opportunities and improve the status of women in all spheres of life. In this regard, it is essential to implement specific measures for the economic empowerment of women. Additionally, it is vital for women to have access to ongoing education and training in areas that are crucial for their professional and personal growth,” Haxiu said.

Levica's MP, Jovana Mojsoska, said that no one gave Macedonian women equality, but as she said, they fought for their freedom through mass participation in the National Liberation struggle, with weapons in hand.

“Although the road is long and difficult, as Rosa Luxemburg once said, we lack nothing, only time. Dear women and girls, perhaps we do not know what it’s like to fight like men, but when we join the struggle, we carry the energy of two within us. Happy International Women's Day to us,” Mojsoska said.

Daniela Belimova, an MP from ZNAM Movement, noted that true partnership and intersection of differences should be the key to finding the best possible solutions and interests, both on an institutional and national level. As the famous writer Gabriel García Márquez once said, ‘If a woman is dragged into something, I know that everything will be fine,’ Belimova said, congratulating International Women’s Day.

Photo: video screenshot