The project of National network to end violence against women and domestic violence “From gender inequality to Gender Democracy” started with implementing in September 2014 and will due to May 2015.
This project is supported by Shuler Helfen Leben, Germany. Within the project activities, trainings for peer educators on topic “Gender Democracy” were conducted, which included around 60 youths, students and high school students. On going is the preparation of the manual for peer educators intended to serve to future peer educators as a useful tool in conduction of educational workshops related to this topic. The main aims of this project are raising awareness about gender inequality in Macedonian society, the advancement of knowledge of youth on this topic, encouraging youth activism and promotion of the method of peer education as a modern and powerful method.
During January and February 3 three-day trainings on topic “Gender democracy” were conducted. Participants on the trainings were high school and college students from different cities like: Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar, Kichevo, Bitola, Prilep, Radovish, Shtip, Makdonski brod, Stumica, Kumanovo I Veles. Participants were students from Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Pedagogy, Gender studies and Social Work and Policy, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Law, Medical Faculty, Philology faculty and also students from Faculty of computer science and engineering. Trainings were held in the hotel “Ethno village – Timcevski” in Kumanovo and in hotel “Euro Hotel Gradce”, Kochani.
Within the training program participants increased their theoretical knowledge in the field of gender based violence, including domestic violence and the consequences of these negative phenomena, violent partner relationships, gender discrimination and gender prejudices and their effects, as opposed to gender democracy as well as theoretical and practical knowledge of communication skills and peer education.
On going is realization of educational workshops by the high school and college students on topic “Gender Democracy”. So far, several workshops were held in different cities, youth clubs and associations, as well as several high schools. On the majority of these workshops through discussions, debates end exercises were discussed topics of sex and gender, gender socialization and gender roles, domestic violence, discrimination- power, privilege and equality, forms of gender based violence, gender stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.
