Today, on 11 April, a regional workshop titled “In Defense of the Right to Be Me” was held in Pristina, bringing together civil society organizations from Kosovo and North Macedonia. The event focused on strengthening cooperation, exchanging experiences, and advancing policy advocacy related to human rights and the prevention of violence against women.
As part of the workshop, a panel discussion entitled “Institutional Engagement and Policy Advocacy – Building Allies” was organized, featuring a presentation by Elena Dimushevska, Executive Director of the National Network against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. She shared successful approaches and practical experiences from cooperation and advocacy with relevant institutional stakeholders in North Macedonia.
Dimushevska also addressed the key challenges civil society organizations face when engaging with institutions, as well as effective tactics for sensitizing institutional representatives to issues related to violence against women.
“We must apply different approaches when working with different stakeholders, build alliances with individuals within each institution, and do so at both central and local levels,” Dimushevska emphasized.
The international event also featured addresses by H.E. Olivier Guérot, Ambassador of France to Kosovo, and Irene Ketoff, Attaché at the Embassy of France in Skopje, who highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and continued support for initiatives aimed at protecting human rights and promoting gender equality.
This activity was supported by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, with the aim of strengthening civil society capacities and improving institutional responses to gender-based violence.
