Skopje, 8 March 2023 (MIA) – It is time to create a society in which women will not have to put in superhuman effort in order to realize their potential, said Stevo Pendarovski in his International Women’s Day greeting.

“While marking the decades-long fight for social, economic and political equality of women today, it’s important to stress that every woman has the right to make free choices about her body, family, education, occupation, career, development, political activity and participation in public life,” said Pendarovski.

According to Pendarovski, not a single society can develop if half of its population is excluded from its development.

“We have to work for greater political participation of women, to have more women in managerial positions, to adopt policies which will include the needs of women, to focus on gender budgeting. We have to create a social environment which will allow more women to be included instead of excluded. If we want to build a modern, open and a democratic society, it is necessary that we do more for equal opportunities for women and men, and to leave inequality, discrimination and chauvinism in the past. Victims of gender-based violence must receive justice. We need to be loud and decisive in the fight against gender-based violence. The fight for equality must not end,” said President Pendarovski in his International Women's Day greeting. ad/sk/