Skopje, 10 January 2025 (MIA) – Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi addressed the constitutive meeting of the Women Parliamentarians’ Club that took place in Parliament on Friday.

“It is a great honour and privilege to be with you at this important constitutive meeting within the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia, which demonstrates our commitment to advancing and safeguarding gender equality,” Gashi said.

In addition to its organizational importance, he added, this constitutive meeting serves as a moment to evaluate the achievements of the Women Parliamentarians’ Club and to acknowledge its remarkable contributions to shaping gender equality policies.

Through the work of this body, as he stated, essential legal solutions were adopted to address various issues related to discrimination and violence against women.

Therefore, with utmost sincerity, he emphasized, I commend the endless efforts of the Women Parliamentarians' Club, a body that, since 2003, has served as an active advocate for strengthening democracy and as a bridge between institutions, organizations, and citizens to ensure significant progress in women's rights and fairer representation in decision-making processes.

“Only by ensuring full gender equality can we achieve sustainable development, and a healthy, democratic society,” Gashi said.

He underscored that the fight for gender equality should not be understood as a struggle for women but as a shared challenge for our society. 

“I want to emphasize the crucial role that men play in changing mindsets, eliminating stereotypes and supporting women in professional, social and political life. Only through joint efforts can we create a society where every individual, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities and is valued for their contributions,” Gashi said in his address.

“Today, with the constitution of this body, the Parliament opens a new chapter of institutional commitment in achieving these goals. The Women Parliamentarians' Club is, and will continue to be, a great support for every initiative and action that brings positive changes to our society,” Gashi noted.

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia