The analysis of the needs of women and girls from the eastern region was developed within the framework of the project "Through women's activism and initiatives to gender-inclusive and responsible municipalities".
The Glasen Tekstilec Association from Shtip, together with its partners, the association ECHO Educational and Humanitarian Organization from Stip
и Initiative of unemployed intellectuals from Vinica, implements the project „"Through women's activism and initiatives to gender-inclusive and responsible municipalities"“, supported by the Government of Switzerland through the program Civica Mobilitas. The project aims to improve the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness of local governments, as well as to encourage the active participation of women and girls in the creation of local policies.
The research is based on a field survey conducted with 545 women and girls from urban, suburban and rural areas in the three municipalities. For this purpose, a structured questionnaire was used that covered the following areas: gender equality and social attitudes, participation in local policy-making, gender-responsive budgets, communal activities, urbanism, environmental protection, education, health, culture, sports, recreation and social protection. The interviewers were trained to conduct the research, and the data after its completion were processed quantitatively and qualitatively. Based on the results obtained, conclusions and recommendations were prepared for each of the covered municipalities.
The results of the analysis indicate that, although the importance of gender equality is formally recognized in local communities, in practice it is still not integrated into the creation of public policies and budget priorities. More than half of the women surveyed believe that society is more biased towards men, and over 60% have never participated in public debates, forums or consultations organized by municipalities. A large part of the women have no information about how the local budget is created, nor what the term gender-responsive budget means. Only 10% of those surveyed believe that their opinion would be taken into account if they participated in the budget process, which indicates a low level of trust in institutions and the need for a systemic change in the way of communication between citizens and local authorities.
In the area of communal services, women highlight the lack of street lighting, unkempt public spaces and poor maintenance of public cleanliness as the main priorities that affect their safety and quality of life. In urban planning, the emphasis is placed on the need for transparent allocation of funds for infrastructure, arrangement of public areas and better coordination between the municipality and citizens in planning processes. In the area of the environment, respondents demand stronger inspection supervision, better education of citizens and measures to reduce pollution.
In education, priorities are focused on monitoring the situation in primary and secondary schools, introducing inspection supervision and creating student dormitories to improve young girls' access to education. In health, the highest ranked need is the improvement of women's health, sexual and reproductive education and greater availability of preventive programs. In the area of culture, women show interest in local cultural events, preserving traditions and supporting cultural creativity. Sports and recreation are also important, especially in terms of creating more spaces and programs for mass sports and physical activity for women.
The data show that women's economic activity is relatively high, but gender gaps in wages, advancement opportunities and access to entrepreneurship persist. The majority of respondents stated that they do not have the opportunity to actively participate in decision-making processes in local government, and most often they are informed through informal channels – other people or social networks. This situation indicates the need to establish structured, institutionalized mechanisms for the inclusion of women in public life and policymaking.
The conclusions of the analysis confirm that insufficient gender sensitivity in local budgets and plans leads to the reproduction of existing inequalities. Women are most affected by problems in communal services, social protection, infrastructure and access to health services. It is recommended that municipalities systematically collect and process gender-disaggregated data, include women in the preparation of budgets and develop programs aimed at improving the quality of life of women and girls in the community.
In terms of recommendations, the analysis suggests establishing a regular annual assessment of the needs of women and girls, developing gender-responsive budgets, and creating strategies for local women's leadership and activism. It is necessary to support local women's organizations, establish consultative bodies within municipalities, and ensure continuous education and information to women citizens about their rights and opportunities for participation.
The analysis concludes that only through the active inclusion of women and girls in decision-making processes and through the integration of a gender perspective into all aspects of local governance can real change towards more inclusive, transparent and accountable municipalities be achieved. The process of building a gender-just society requires sustained cooperation between local authorities, civil society organizations and the community, as well as continuous political will and institutional support for gender equality.
Igor Jadrovski and Gordana Nestorovska, experts with many years of experience in the field of gender responsive budgeting, were engaged to prepare the analysis.
The analysis is part of the project "Through women's activism and initiatives to gender-inclusive and responsible municipalities", supported by Civica Mobilitas. Civica Mobilitas is a project of the Government of Switzerland to support civil society in North Macedonia, implemented by Macedonian Center for International cooperation (MCIC), NIRAS from Denmark and FCG from Sweden. The goal of the program is social changes in North Macedonia that are driven by a strong civil sector, active citizens and good cooperation with the authorities, resulting in an expanded civic space, more sustainable civil society organizations and more transparent, accountable and socially inclusive governance at the central and local levels.
The views expressed in this Analysis are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Swiss Government, Civica Mobilitas or the organizations implementing it.
