President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova addressed today the Women Economic Forum – Balkan 2024, which is organized by the Association of Women Managers ELIT.
In her address, the President said that, although progress is evident, we must not be satisfied with what has been achieved in the field of gender equality.
“We are obliged to continue with the commitment to equality of rights not only de jure, but also de facto, because women’s rights are human rights and the degree of democracy is valued through their realization. It is especially important to eliminate the barriers for women’s economic participation and leadership”, the President said.
In that direction, she said that it is an essential challenge to recognize and acknowledge the role of women in decision-making processes and shaping of society, to increase women’s influence on and in various spheres, including business, politics, administration, the academic community and civil society.
The President emphasized that encouraging innovation and enabling sustainable development is one of the most important priorities related to female leadership, as well as green transition. In that regard, she pointed out that global platforms like G100 are welcome to stimulate local and national changes in the area of female leadership in politics, economy and, specifically, in supporting female entrepreneurship, mentoring and education.
“The power of global networks in sharing knowledge, resources and support systems for women is key in building the next generation of women leaders who will contribute to finally bridging traditional boundaries in male-dominated sectors”, she pointed out in her address.
Referring to global challenges, the President said that in conditions where the focus is on crisis management, less and less time is devoted to growth, development and progress, and that the divided and warring world has an existential need for responsible leadership, visionary and thorough commitment to the defense of human rights.
“Women should take the reforming role. They have the ability to stand above self-interest and profit and see the big human picture. I believe that exactly women leaders in the economy, with their energy, commitment, determination, skills and knowledge, can redirect the economic flows, putting a peaceful, female seal and promoting and stimulating sustainable and fair economic policies and models”, President Siljanovska Davkova said, adding that women leaders in economy possess proven social responsibility, care for the community and ecology, achievement of the millennium goals without exploitation and violation of labor rights.
In her address, the President expressed the expectation that the relevant international presence and activity will encourage and stimulate Macedonian women leaders to become even more active social actors in a number of areas.
The purpose of the forum is networking of women from different sectors from the region of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Turkey, through the exchange of experiences and their cooperation, in view of encouraging and strengthening the role and position of women in society.
