Project title: Which Gender is the Ohrid Framework Agreement!?
Objectives and results of the action: The overall objective of the project was to integrate the concept of gender mainstreaming with focus on ethnic minority women in the process of implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. Specific objectives of the project included gender assessment of the level of involvement of ethnic minority women in political and development processes; proposition of measures for inclusion and strengthening of their position within the institutions/organizations; Raising the awareness for improving the position of the ethnic minority women in the society by promoting the concept of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in local policy development. Despite the legal provisions, most of the national and local institutions do not provide gender – disaggregated statistics which resulted with negative impact in the process of implementation of gender analyzes, gender budgeting or any serious strategic planning related to gender issues. In general, the integration of gender perspectives in policy formulation processes is insufficient and ineffective. However, meaningful participation of women in public life requires more than just an additional number of women in visible and responsible positions. It requires strengthened capacities of both male and female policy makers, e.g., parliamentarians and government officials, to implement policies that promote gender equality. It also requires enhanced capacities of civil society organizations and media to support an environment in which women are empowered to claim and exercise their right to participate in public life. Therefore, the project was focused on the gender analyses on the effects of the OFA implementation with emphasize on the ethnic minority women. Numbers of recommendations were proposed on the segments where the implementation might lead to further marginalization of the ethnic minority women and their exclusion of the political and development processes, particularly at local level and in finding mechanisms for their more efficient inclusion in the social processes. The benefits were concentrated among the parliamentarians and government officials at national and local level, the international community and the civic society as an important entry points for introduction of mechanisms and instruments aiming to advance the position of ethnic minority women in the society which is in correlation with the gender equality mandate of the European Union.
Location of the action: Gostivar, Kicevo and Struga
Period of implementation: 20.12.2011 -15.06.2013
Donors to the action: European Union (EIDHR /2011/280-044)