Skopje, 22 October 2022 (MIA) - North Macedonia is a positive example in the sphere of gender equality and the gender perspective, and I say this from a personal example - I am the Minister of Defence and I am not the first woman to have been appointed to this position. For me, it is very important that the contribution of women is seen from a qualitative aspect, as women leaders and women decision-makers, not only as a number or a percentage,” Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska said at the Women, Peace and Security forum that took place on Saturday in Prishtina. Minister Petrovska underlined that in the security sector in North Macedonia, women are also appointed to the positions of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, State Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Deputy Director of the Intelligence Agency, key leadership positions at which women can make a difference and make a substantial contribution. She also said that a great step has been made in the number of women in the Army, but also in the inclusion of gender equality and the gender perspective in the Ministry's policies, Ministry of Defence said in a press release. “In 2012, the number of women in the Army was less than 5%, while today it has doubled, it is over 10%. The increase can be seen in key managerial positions as well. It is important that we work inside the institution, but also outline gender equality and a gender perspective to the public and to citizens. 28 NATO gender trainers work in the Defence Ministry, who continuously conduct trainings on the need for gender equality, gender balance and gender sensitive policies,” Petrovska added. Several senior officials from the region and the world participated in the panel along with the Minister Petrovska, including Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate in Germany's Federal Foreign Office, Dipu Moni, Minister of Education of Bangladesh, as well as Velislava Petrova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, and Irene Fellin, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, who delivered remarks via video link.