On September 22, 2026, at the Aleksandar Park Hotel in Vinica, the final event "The Voice of Women in the Municipal Budget" was held, dedicated to the promotion of civic partnership, civic engagement and gender-responsive local policies. The event was organized by the INI-Vinica Association, in partnership with Glasen Tekstilec-Shtip and EHO Educational and Humanitarian Organization from Shtip.
The event was a space for presenting the results of the project activities, but also an opportunity for direct meetings and dialogue between citizens, civil society organizations and representatives of local institutions from the Eastern region. Special emphasis was placed on the participation of women and girls in local decision-making processes, gender-sensitive issues in communities, as well as the initiatives and recommendations developed within the project.
The event was moderated by Ognen Janeski, and with welcoming speeches they joined in Todor Tsonev, president of INI-Vinica, Kristina Ampeva, president of Glasen Tekstilec - Shtip, and Blinera Redzepi Uka, project manager in the Civica Mobilitas program, who introduced the attendees to the goals and support that the program provides for civil society.
Blagojce Disoski и Todor Tsonev presented the key activities, results and achievements of the project. The process included 545 women and girls from Shtip, Vinica and Delchevo, whose needs and priorities were documented through field research and further consultations. Based on the findings, a 9 gender budget initiatives, three for each municipality, which were presented and delivered to local governments.
Through open days, workshops and advocacy activities, more than 400 citizens, while the three local civic forums were attended by 114 people, of which 91 women. Additionally, the regional event was attended by 51 people, including representatives of institutions and decision-makers. One of the most significant results was the establishment of a more direct and structured dialogue between citizens and local institutions in the three municipalities.
The discussion continued with citizen participation and gender-responsive local policies, and the presentation "The Voice of Citizens" presented local gender budget initiatives developed within the project. They covered issues related to safety, accessibility, public transport, lighting, gender-based and domestic violence, community care and public safety in Shtip, Vinica and Delchevo.
A special part of the event was the open discussion with decision-makers, in which Sunčica Gjuftevska from the Municipality of Shtip, Daniela Jakovlevska from the Municipality of Vinica and Trajče Zdravkov, Director of the Center for Development of the Eastern Planning Region, participated. The discussion focused on how civic initiatives can receive a concrete institutional response and become part of local planning and budgeting, as well as on the possibilities for greater regional cooperation between municipalities.
Sunchitsa Gjuftevska from the Municipality of Shtip stressed that the Municipality supported the three initiatives submitted by EHO and that some of the proposed measures are already being implemented. Regarding one of the initiatives, she indicated that the possibility of it being foreseen in the Budget of the Municipality of Shtip for 2027 is being considered, with the consultative process for budget planning starting in this period.
In the discussion about Vinica, Daniela Jakovlevska addressed issues related to traffic and safe movement through the city. She pointed out that the traffic plan is in its final phase and that its implementation should begin soon, with speed limits foreseen in parts of the city area, as well as gradual regulation of traffic signals and marking of pedestrian crossings.
Trajce Zdravkov emphasized the importance of a regional approach to problems that cannot be solved within a single municipality. The focus was on care for the elderly, the development of appropriate infrastructure and the need for regional solutions. He also informed about the activities related to the construction of nursing homes in Kocani and Shtip, as well as the possibility of treating the problem of homeless animals regionally, based on previous analyses, a feasibility study and an assessment of the necessary financial resources, infrastructure and staff.
A common message from the discussion was the need for local and regional institutions to establish clearer mechanisms for responding to citizen initiatives, with specific information on next steps and substantial citizen involvement in the planning and budgeting processes.
The closing event was also an opportunity to discuss the next steps and the continuation of regional cooperation between civil society organizations, active citizens and local authorities. The aim is to continue the established partnership and mechanisms for citizen participation after the formal completion of the project, with greater involvement of citizens in local planning and decision-making.
The closing event is part of the project "Through women's activism and civic initiatives to gender-inclusive and responsible municipalities", implemented by Glasen Tekstilec, EHO Educational-Humanitarian Organization and the Initiative of Unemployed Intellectuals (INI), with financial support from the Government of Switzerland through Civica Mobilitas.
