President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova addressed the central event titled “Violence against young women and girls: sexual harassment, stalking and controlling behavior” organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje at the Cultural and Educational Center Laboratorium, as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
In her address, President Siljanovska Davkova said that they are gathered here to shine a light on an issue that has cast a shadow over too many lives for too long – gender-based violence, a crime that transcends borders, transcends cultures, transcends socio-economic status and requires united action.
“The most important thing to deal with this problem is the identification, the visibility of those who are the most vulnerable categories because then the identification is with them and they feel more comfortable and protected”, the President said, calling on everyone, not just women and children, to break the silence and stillness.
“We need to challenge injustice, we need to confirm our commitment to a world where security and dignity are not the privilege of the biggest and strongest, but are rights that must be enjoyed by everyone, both small countries and the neglected and those different on any basis, it is a human obligation”, President Siljanovska Davkova said.
“Here as leaders, as policymakers, as advocates of everyone’s interests, and especially the interests of the most vulnerable, we have the power to shape a world in which we will not tolerate such violence”, the President said, adding that in order to achieve this, peace fronts need to be opened on all sides, harmful stereotypes must be challenged, equality must be pointed out and implemented regardless of affiliation, but most importantly, values must be respected, and non-violence must be promoted from an early age.
At the event, which was addressed by the Minister of Education and Science, Vesna Janevska, the MP and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Zaklina Pesevska, a video address was delivered by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Kilian Wahl, a video material created in cooperation with the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” Skopje was shown, followed by a panel discussion with relevant stakeholders.
Central part of the event was the signing of the Declaration of Intent, as a public commitment to combat violence against young women and girls, which contains ten action points with specific measures that the OSCE Mission to Skopje will support in 2025. The Declaration was signed by President Siljanovska Davkova, Minister of Education Vesna Janevska, representatives of local schools, youth organizations and NGOs active in the fight to end violence against women.
