Skopje, 25 November 2025 (MIA) - Femicide is a consequence of violence that has occurred continuously, without being prevented or sanctioned, said President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova in her address Tuesday at a panel discussion titled “From Reporting Violence to Preventing Femicide – A Systemic Response,” organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

According to a press release from the President’s Office, at the discussion she noted that gender-based violence and the number of women killed just because they are women is rapidly growing despite numerous conventions, legislation, strategies, and projects. 

The President stressed that the fight against femicide must being in the home, in kindergartens, and in primary education, and then continue through legal acts and institutional mechanisms.

If femicide is a systemically caused problem, then its resolution must also be systemic, said President Siljanovska-Davkova.

The first panel at the event was addressed by Ambassador Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Gjoko Velkovski, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Demographics and Youth, and Muamet Rexhepi, Assistant to the Interior Minister, who presented their views, data, and solutions for overcoming the issue. 

The second panel was addressed by Uranija Pirovska from the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Public Prosecutor Fatime Fetai, Judge Gabriela Gajdova, Svetlana Cvetkovska from the Ministry of Social Policy, Demographics and Youth, and Elena Dimushevska from the National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. 

“Within their work, each of them identified the greatest weaknesses in addressing violence against women, including femicide, while positively assessing the established cooperation with the relevant institutions as a guarantee for progress in the fight. They all welcomed the establishment of the Femicide Watch platform,” the press release said. 

All participants agreed that continuous daily engagement by everyone beyond the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence is necessary to tackle femicide.

Photo: President’s Office