Per day June 28, 2024, in the x. Oasis in Shtip, we held the round table: „"Strengthening women's labor rights and combating gender discrimination in the private sector"”.
At the roundtable, our panelists were:
o Maja Cvetanovska Andonoc, a representative from the State Labor Inspectorate;
o Igor Jadrovski, as a representative of Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination;
o Valentina Disoska, representative of the National Platform for Women Entrepreneurs, (National Platform for Women Entrepreneurship).
Our discussion moderator was: Ljupka Trajanovska from Center for Research and Policy Making.
Meanwhile, the president of Glasen Tekstilec also joined in as a discussant, Kristina Ampeva.
During the discussion with the representative of the State Labor Inspectorate, we discussed topics related to: standard procedures in cases of gender-based discrimination, how they are identified and how to act in these cases. Furthermore, how frequent they are and how to report them, we discussed the actions of the DIT in cases of discrimination against pregnant women whose contracts are not renewed, what measures are taken in that case. Finally, the representative Maja Cvetanovska Andonov, emphasized the cooperation of the State Labor Inspectorate with other institutions, as well as with civil society organizations and joint cases that were registered and represented. She emphasized the need for better precision of the Law on Labor Relations for the systemic protection of pregnant women - workers, who have fixed-term contracts.
With Igor Jadrovski, the representative of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, we discussed the most common forms of gender discrimination reported in the private sector, the mechanisms available to respond to discrimination against pregnant women with short-term contracts and how effective they are. The important work of the Commission in the field of raising awareness and providing training on gender discrimination in the workplace and cooperation with other institutions and civil society organizations was also highlighted.
The representative of the Business Organization of Women Entrepreneurs, Valentina Disoska, highlighted the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, shared best practices and successful strategies implemented by women-led businesses to promote gender equality and women's rights in the labor market.
Kristina Ampeva, from Glasen Tekstilec, highlighted the significant cooperation with the institutions that were part of the roundtable and the vitality for its continuation. She highlighted the problem with fixed-term contracts, i.e. when the employer finds out that the worker is pregnant, he often tries not to extend her contract, and our Law allows this. Additionally, many workers are exploited with overtime, working on holidays and working on Sundays, and this is not reflected in their payrolls.
We have jointly reached conclusions, which we will translate into a short document and use for advocacy with the competent institutions, as well as for amending laws, in the interest of female workers in the private sector.
This activity is part of the project "Institutional and Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls from the Eastern Region", which is implemented by the association for the protection of workers' rights Glasen Tekstilec - Shtip.
The project is financially supported by The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and Sweden. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of Glasen Tekstilec – Shtip.
