On March 8th , 2023 the seventh March for Women’s Rights took place on the International Day of Economic, Political and Social Struggle for Women’s Equality, this year under the title: Will women survive here?
Why such a title? Unfortunately, the reasons are numerous:
Being a woman in North Macedonia means waking up every morning in fear and wondering how and if you will survive that day.
In 2023, women and girls in the country are plagued by issues that show the real picture of gender inequality in the country, issues that show how much no one thinks about women’s welfare, multi-layered and systemic discrimination, trampling of human rights, violence, poverty and general apathy to admit loud and clear: women in North Macedonia are neither equal, nor free, nor safe.
In 2023, women are faced with policies that do not recognize their needs, with institutions that do not protect them and mechanisms that are blind to the need to advance gender equality – a collective disregard for how and if women will survive here. Left to their own devices, women are victims of a system in which collective negligence is the driving force.
8th of March happens once a year. On this day, we raise our voices against collective negligence. But these are the problems that women live with every day. That’s why we say together and loudly: It is enough!
Happy 8th of March!
Photo credit: Vancho Dzambaski
