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Achieving gender equality in rural communities project completed

On Friday, 11 January 2013, at 10:30, a closing conference of the EU-funded project “Achieving gender equality in rural communities” took place at the EU InfoCentre.
At the event, the opening addresses were delivered by:
H.E. Mr. Aivo Orav, Head of EU Delegation;
Ms. Elena Grozdanova, State Advisor on gender equality, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy;
Mr. Hazbi Idrizi, Mayor of the Municipality of Bogovinje;
Mr.Enver Pajaziti, Mayor of the Municipality of Brvenica;
Mr. Bajram Kadrija, Mayor of the Municipality of Vrapcishte;
Mr. Fatmir Izairi, Mayor of the Municipality of Zhelino.
Ms. Sanela Skrijelj, Project Coordinator of the Association for local rural development presented the project's recommendations for increased quality of implementation of the Law for gender equality of municipal level.

Gender equality is one of the priorities of the EU Aquis and as most important these concepts are imbedded in all programs promoted and supported by the EU. Thus, The EU-funded project: “Achieving gender equality in rural communities” aimed to promote policies, mechanisms and values that should provide greater opportunities for both women and men, to be able to fulfil their individual priorities and to engage actively in development of their rural communities.

The project's main objective was to achieve effective, socially just development and enhance gender equality in rural communities through institutionalisation of a gender mainstreaming approach in the policy making process on local level. The project has been implemented in four municipalities of Polog region: Bogovinje, Brvenica, Vrapcishte and Zhelino, in the period January – December 2012, budgeted with more than 70,000 EUR.
Project's activities resulted with the following outcomes:

• Capacity of local institutions, commissions for equal opportunities and NGOs from the respective municipalities for effective gender mainstreaming enhanced.
• Cooperation on gender mainstreaming among all relevant stakeholders on municipal level improved.
• Crated and adopted Local Action Planes for gender equality.

Raised public awareness.

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3-year Gender Equality Action Planes to be created in municipalities of Polog region

Since October 8, 2012, ZLLR team and experts from the CIRA began working visits through the municipalities in Polog region; beneficiaries of the EU, EIDHR funded Project “Achieving gender equality in rural communities”.

Upon finalizing the trainings, members of the Equal Opportunity Commissions from the municipalities of: Bogovinje, Brvenica, Zelino and Vrapcishte, began creating the municipal Gender Equality Acton Planes. After conducted SWOT analyses, strategic priorities and activities for period 2013- 2015 were defined. Attention was given while targeting responsible institutions and recourses for implementation of the proposed actions and in the process of developing smart and measurable indicators.

On October 15, working session was organized in the municipality of Brvenica. On October 19, the meeting is planned in Zelino and on 22 in the municipality of Vrapciste.

When finalized, Gender Equality Action Planes will be submitted to municipal councils for approval. Upon approval the documents will be printed and submitted to the municipalities and other relevant institutions that might consider supporting some of the proposed activities.

The creation of new action plans on Gender Equality have started in Bogovinje, Brvenica, Vrapciste and Zelino

In project framework of „Achienving gender equality in rural communities“ ALRD organized two days training on 30/31 August 2012, for creation of new action plans on each municiality. As scheduled on the project, this action plans should be developed in every single municipality that is involved on this project (Bogovinje, Vrapciste, Zelino and Brvenica), based on real needs, adopted by opportunities that can be realized, through which plans, long term changes will be achieved. These action plans will be submitted to the Municipality Councils for approval.

At the begining of the trainee, tha trainers directed all participants to a process of developing action plans and presented them the basic steps that have to e taken in order to realize successfully this process. Session themes included: strategic planing, activities based on mutual vizion, the value of wider participation and inclusion of individuals, especially the affected parties, valuation of priority areas, highliting the importance of inclusion from each municipal sector on this process, forming action groups for each sector on municipal level, financial maintainance, and answering the question – does there exist an expertize on municipal level for realization of continous plan of action .

During the second day, participants in two groups started to develop SWOT analysis and were introduced to the Matrix of strategic orientation and introduction of results.

The ALRD team and CIRA team will arrange the coming session for a few days.

Public Session of the National Strategy for prevention and protection of domestic violence 2012-2015

Representatives of the Association for Local and Rural Development participated at the Public Session of the National Strategy for prevention and protection of domestic violence 2012-2015, that was held on 28th June 2012, at the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, organized by the Committee for equal opportunities between women and men.
Last few years, the number of identified cases on domestic violence has raised, and as a consequence we have raised number of cases that are punished for there act.
First three months of the year were identified 134 crimes on domestic violence, that is 9 percent less comparing the previous year.
Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Spiro Ristovski mentioned:
“Because of the protection of victims of domestic violence we have made many activities for improvement of the civil law and penal law system in Macedonia, while on 2008 was defined the balance of domestic violence by the Penal Code.

Gender Equality – Legal Framework in the Republic of Macedonia

The Association for Local Rural Development throught the porject Achieving Gender Equlity in Rural Communities, financed by the EU, organized one day workshop on the subject of “Gender Equality Legal framework in the Republic of Macedonia”. The workshop was held on June 11, 2012 at the Municipality of Bogovinje, at the village Kamenjane starting at 12 o’clock. Members of this workshop were members of the Commissions for equal opportunities from Bogovinje, Brvenica, Vrapciste and Zhelino.

Miss. Elena Grozdanova which is more directly involved on this issue, presented to the members the Law on Equal Opportunities and the national politics and programmes related to their work.
The members had the opportunity to discuss and make questions at the end of the workshop; they shared their views and opinions and commented to the whole presentation.

One for ALL, ALL for Nature

On Wednesday, June 6, 2012, the Association for Local Rural development organized the event “One for ALL, ALL for Nature”. The event was held in the PS ”7th March” in village of Celopek, Municiplaity of Brvenica. The Project was supported through the Small- Grants Program of the Embassy of Norway in Macedonia.

The goal of the event was celebrating inter-ethnic diversity through joint activities of primary school children. More than 100 students joined the event by getting engaged in various ecological activities.

Cleaning action in the schoolyard, planting greenery at the school garden, sport games with requisites from recyclable materials, drawings were just few of myriad of activities organized during the event. Through the event’s logo “One for ALL, ALL for Nature”, students made it clear that diversity should be unifying factor when it comes to challenges that are of common interest for the community – like environmental ones.

 

Mayor of the Municipality of Brvenica, Enver Pajaziti spoke at the event. In his speech, Mayor Pajziti emphasized the support that the local government is giving to initiatives that promote positive values and contribute towards enhancing inter- ethnic and inter-cultural cooperation between citizens of this municipality.

The school was awarded with footballs, basketballs and certificates on the behalf of the ZLLR.  As well,  4 containers for collection and recycling of plastic waste were provided by PAKOMAK, company for managing packaging waste.

 

Needs of rural women voiced at the meeting with EU delegation in Bogovinje

On May 25, 2012, EU Buss visited the Municipality of Bogovinje. The Mayor, Mr.Hazbi Idrizi, hosted the Ambassador of EU delegation in Macedonia, Mr. Aivo Orav, Mrs. Teuta Arifi,Minister for EU Integrations at the Government of Macedonia,  Irena Ivanova, Task Manager for the EIDHR Program and other members of the EU Delegation.

The President of the Association for Local Rural Dvelopment, Sanela Shkrijelj participated at this event as well.

She took the opportunity to promote the mission of the ZLLR, the project supported by the EIDHR Country Based Support Scheme but as well to lobby for greater support from the donor’s community for socio- economic development of rural women. As well she took the opportunity to express the appreciation on the behalf of ZLLR, to Mayor Idrizi for continuous support of the organization activities.

“The rural women should be considered to be moving force in the communities. Now days she do not work at homes or fields only, they attend universities, they run small, home- based business and fulfill the roles of the housewife. For keeping up with this t roles they need greater support from institutions. Тheir unseen work should be finally recognized and valorized” , sad Sanela Shkrijelj.

Gender equality, long-term goal of rural communities

Participants at the training titled “Defining concepts of gender equality”, held in Mavrovo, on April 26/ 27, 2012, highlighted that gender equality must be prioritized on municipal level, though full commitment and gender budgeting are mandatory for progress to be reached. This is the first of four trainings to be organized within the Project “ Achieving gender equality in rural communities”, supported and financed by EIDHR program of the European Union.
 
Members of the municipal councils, commissions for equal opprtunities, civil sector, business representatives from municipalities of Bogovinje, Brvenica, Zelnio and Vrapicishte, participated at the training. Guided through interactive process, they were introduced to following topics: Gender vs sex, social background of gender relations, key components of gender, development approaches; Work division by gender; stereotypes linked to gender; gender discrimination; key areas of discrimination against women; Defining gender equality and equity; Introduction to gender analysis and gender budgeting.

Through discussions, some of the challenges were highlighted: municipal budgets are not sufficient to for covering all topics prioritized within Annual planes; focus is more on huge infrastructure projects; coordinators of the Equal Opportunity Commissions generally cover several other positions, there is no specific TOR for them and there is no budget that would cover their operational expenses; existing traditional views are not perceived as an obstacle, however some agreed that some might be restrictive, especially for female members of the community. Trainings in this topic targeting Mayors; Coordinator of the Gender Equality Commission to have specific TOR and gender budgeting to be considered when Annual Plans and other municipal strategic documents are created.

Next training, scheduled for end of May will be focused on “Legal framework and policies related to gender equality”.

First working meeting between municipalities included in the Project “Achieving gender equality in rural communities”

On March 28 2012, in the Municipality of Brvenica,  ZLLR organized the first meeting between municipalities participants in the Project “Achieving gender equality in rural communities”, supported by EIDHR program. Meeting participants represented: equal opportunity commissions, offices for local economic development, municipal councils and NGO’s, from the municipalities of Brvenica, Bogovinje, Vrapcishte and Zelino.

Participants were greeted by the Mayor of Brvenica, Mr. Enver Pajaziti. In his speech he endorsed his support for activities planed in Polog region and his commitment towards cooperation with the civil sector. “Municipalities from the Polog region are eager for active engagement in the programs contributing towards socio- economic development. The region possess potential and there is huge support fro joint implementation of the programs that will acknowledge the region as serious partner, not only passive participant”, said Mayor Pajaziti.

The goal of the meeting was presentation of the project goals and activities, defining time- lines for implementation of upcoming trainings, discussing municipal action planes and shearing suggestions for the project implementation. The participants shared as well some project ideas that are of priority for the region. The proposed interventions were in several areas: health protection for the women from the mountainous regions; improving inter- ethnic relations, especially targeting high-school students; trainings for the election process etc.

The group will gather again at the end of Aril, when the first training module will be introduced.

March, 2012, “Achieving Gender Equality in Rural Communities”

At the beginning of March, the Association for Local Rural Development organized a series of separate meetings with members of Commissions for Equal Opportunities in municipalities Zelino, Brvenica, Bogovinje and Vrapchishte to introduce the project "Achieving Gender Equality in Rural Communities. The meetings served to familiarize the commission members with the project objectives and activities, as well as with their concrete commitments and active participation in the project implementation.
As result, a joint coordinative meeting will be convened at the end of the month, with attendence of all members of Commissions for Equal Opportunities, local government representatives and representatives of local NGOs, to define the approach, to delegate responsibilities and to determine the timetable of activities.

Meeting time and venue is due to be determined.

February, 2012, “Achieving Gender Equality in Rural Communities”

Association for Local Rural Development has launched the implementation of the project “Achieving Gender Equality in Rural Communities” in the area of Polog Valley. This project will be implemented in cooperation with the local authorities of municipalities of Bogovinje, Brvenica, Vrapciste and Zelino.

Overall objective of the project is the achievement of an effective and socially just development, and to enhance the gender equality in rural communities through institutionalization of a gender mainstreaming approach in the policy making process on local level.

Specific objectives of the project are:
- Building of capacities of local institutions, Commissions for Equal Opportunities, and NGOs for effective gender mainstreaming;
- Developing effective gender mainstreaming tools and methodologies- Local Gender Equality Plans, to facilitate the gender mainstreaming process on local level;
- Increase of gender awareness of the general public through comprehensive public information and media campaign strategy.

The project “Achieving Gender Equality” envisages realization of a series of activities including workshops, seminars, trainings for the target group – members of Commissions for Equal Opportunities’, as well as public debates, closing conference, printing and distribution of educational brochures on women’s rights and establishment of Network of cooperation among stakeholders.

The ultimate beneficiaries of the project are women from municipalities of Bogovinje, Brvenica, Zelino and Vrapciste, local civil society organizations, and municipal personnel.