STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY July 2011
Publisher Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – BIM-FV Skopje
The preparation and the printing of this publication is supported by The Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC)
Prepared by Liljana Alceva – Local consultant on behalf of BIM-FV
Contact person from the Municipality of Lipkovo Urim Sellmani Coordinator of the Local Partnership Group
Project Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights Skopje (BIM-FV Skopje)
Veljko Vlahovik 1a 1/4 AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION 1000 Skopje Phone num: +389 (0)2 3216 956 Fax: +389 (0)2 3216 982 1 Support Team of BIM-FV Skopje Petranka Delova Miladinova – Project Manager Stojan Misev – Human Rights Advisor Ninoslav Mladenovik - Human Rights Advisor Jagoda Iljov – Administrative Assistant
Contact person from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy Irena Todoroska - Head of Unit for Social Inclusion
Translated from Macedonian into English by Svetlana Spasovska
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily re ect the views of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC)
When using data from the text, please quote the source: Strategy for Social Inclusion, Social Protection and Alleviation of Poverty in the Municipality of Lipkovo, July, 2011 CONTENTS
Executive summary 4 Introduction 5 1. Process of preparation of the Strategic Plan for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion 7 1.1. Basic principles 7 1.2. De nitions 7 1.3. Methodology 8 2. Analysis of the current situation 9 2.1. General characteristics of Lipkovo municipality 9 2.2. Social pro le of Lipkovo municipality 10 2.3. Dominant social problems in Lipkovo municipality 11 2.4. Social protection in Lipkovo municipality 12 2.5. Findings from the Study on Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Macedonia 13 3. Findings from the workshop for priority setting in the area of social development in Lipkovo municipality 14 3.1. Identi cation of vulnerable groups 14 3.2. Identi cation of speci c problems of the vulnerable groups of citizens
2 in Lipkovo municipality 15 Working group: Children 16 Working group: Adults 17 ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Working group: Elderly people 18 4. Strategic aims and activities for alleviation of poverty and social exclusion in Lipkovo municipality 19 Priority area: Children 19 Priority area: Adults 19 Priority area: Elderly people 20 Priority area: Promotion of the social protection system in Lipkovo municipality 5. Implementation of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion 21 6. Action plan 22 PARTICIPANT LIST 33 Agenda Action Planning Workshop 34 Agenda Strategic Planning Workshop 35 FOREWORD OF THE MAYOR OF LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY
In order to comply with the principles of the European Union, Lipkovo municipality should have more strategic documents from the various social areas. For Lipkovo municipality of particular social importance is the obligation to prepare and adopt a strategy to alleviate poverty and social exclusion in the municipality because our municipality, we can freely say, is one of the least developed municipalities in Macedonia where the poverty of the citizens is high.
Therefore, Lipkovo, as a separate local self-government in the entire period of its existence, takes active measures, activities and programs aimed at alleviating poverty and exclusion.
It was decided to include Lipkovo in this process, since it was one of the most interested municipalities - at the time of the announcement, it was one of the most broadcast municipalities in all media since many of our citizens with the visa liberalization sought asylum in the EU countries. It would be super uous to repeat that poverty is all over the place in our municipality.
We therefore applied, were selected and continued to cooperate with the “Ludwig Boltzmann” Institute- Research Association Skopje (BIM - PB), which is funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and by us.
For this purpose, a Local Partnership Group was established, consisting of representatives of the local self- government, the Municipal Council of Lipkovo, the NGO sector, representatives from the public institutions, the business community and the local communities. STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION This Partnership Group in collaboration with the “Ludwig Boltzmann” Institute - Research Association Skopje(BIM - PB), that has the academic knowledge and practical experience from all social areas and contexts, contributed to the qualitative rounding up of this strategic document.
The Strategy has a major strategic aim, namely: to alleviate poverty and social exclusion in Lipkovo municipality 3 through better use of the available human and material resources, to improve the living and working conditions, and to improve the social conditions for all citizens, to enable systemic and institutional collaboration with the objective of reaching faster growth, higher standard of living and better life. It focuses on three areas: alleviation of poverty and social exclusion as well as on social inclusion of the vulnerable groups in the municipality, including: children, adults and elderly people.
As far as the realization of the competences of the municipality and the creation of its development are concerned, the Strategy will be our guide containing the general directions the municipality should follow on its way towards the realization of its strategic aims related to social inclusion, social protection and alleviation of poverty in the municipality.
I am hereby expressing special gratitude to the entire team dedicated to the development of this strategic document, and especially to all the representatives of the”Ludwig Boltzmann” – Institute, Research Association Skopje(BIM-PB).
In the end, I frankly acknowledge that I as a mayor, with all my energy, together with the administration of the Municipality of Lipkovo will remain fully committed, as will the central government and the other participants in the development of this Strategy, to its maximum possible realization.
Best regards, Mayor of Lipkovo municipality Sadullah Duraku EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The preparation of the strategic document for alleviation of poverty and social exclusion at a local level in Lipkovo municipality is an initiative of the “Ludwig Boltzmann” Institute for Human Rights within the project “Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia”, funded by the Austrian Development Agency.
The preparation of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Inclusion is based on the human rights approach. It is a process that serves to improve the planning, implementation and monitoring of development. By using the human rights approach in planning it is ensured that the priorities, measures and actions contained in the strategies and action plans will be determined on the basis of the facts and the real needs of the people in the community. The process is particularly focused on the strengthening of the poor and vulnerable people, enabling them to express their needs and problems to the decision makers.
Lipkovo municipality belongs to the group of average small rural municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia. The municipality covers 22 populated areas, all of which are designated as rural local communities. According to the census data in 2002, there are 27,058 inhabitants in total in Lipkovo municipality.
The population of Lipkovo faces many social problems. The poor development of the municipality, the bad infrastructure, the lack of access to secondary health care, the unresolved status of some of the citizens, the lack of local media, the underdeveloped civil sector and other problems make life in Lipkovo complex and full of challenges. In order to overcome the existing social problems, reduce poverty and social exclusion, the working group from Lipkovo who worked on the drafting of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty has proposed the following measures:
Priority Area: Children Aim 1: Improved care of the community for children with special needs Aim 2: Creating conditions for development of children and young people Aim 3: Inclusion of children from poor families in the educational system
Priority Area: Adults Aim 1: Increase of the number of employed people Aim 2: Increase of the number of people that have obtained citizenship Aim 3: Improvement of the situation of disabled people and widows from the 2001 con ict
4 Priority area: Elderly people Aim 1: Improvement of the care for the elderly people Aim 2: Improvement of the health care Aim 3: Improvement of the access to institutions ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND According to the recommendations from the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and in order to improve the general system of social protection, speci c activities have been planned on a local level to strengthen the capacities of the municipal administration, increase the scope of social services provided to the poor and vulnerable, as well as establish mechanisms for their direct involvement in the decision making on a local level. INTRODUCTION
The preparation of the strategic document for alleviation of poverty and social exclusion on a local level is an obligation undertaken by the “Ludwig Boltzmann” Human Rights Institute (BIM-FV Skopje), within the “Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia” Project, funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Macedonia.
The aim of the project is to apply the human rights approach for alleviation of poverty and social exclusion on a national and local level, including the identi cation of vulnerable groups, their direct inclusion in the decision- making processes that a ect their lives as well as establishment of a system for monitoring and accountability of the obligation bearers.
The project includes the municipalities of Berovo, Pehcevo, Radovis, Konce, Studenicani, Caska, Lipkovo and Negotino. The preparation of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Inclusion is based on the human rights approach. It is a process that serves to improve the planning, implementation and monitoring of development. By using the human rights approach in planning it is ensured that the priorities, measures and actions contained in the strategies and action plans will be determined on the basis of the facts and the real needs of the people in the community. The process is particularly focused on the strengthening of the poor and vulnerable people, enabling them to express their needs and problems to the decision makers.
The main features of the human rights approach (HRA) for alleviation of poverty used in the preparation of this strategy include:
• Identi cation of the poor; • Identi cation of the relevant normative, national and international human rights framework; • Participation and strengthening; • Equality and non-discrimination; • Progressive implementation of human rights; • Monitoring and accountability.
According to the Tool 3 of the HRA in local development (“How can the local development a ect all”), provided by the”Ludwig Boltzmann” Institute for Human Rights the following is required to ensure compliance with the abovementioned principles: 1. To identify all vulnerable groups during the data collection and analysis of the situation and problems;
2. To establish initiatives for ensuring social mobilization and participation with focused actions, targeting those AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION groups that are usually excluded and do not participate actively in the policy development processes; 3. To establish indicators and a certain group of objectives related to the realization of human rights throughout the process by setting short term, medium term and long term objectives; 4. To set successful monitoring and accountability mechanisms in order to ensure that the obligation bearers would be responsible, especially in cases of abuse in the allocation of resources. Each local development plan 5 should contain these elements embedded in the planning and implementation phase. Although seemingly di cult to fully incorporate these criteria, there is not a single inclusive local development plan that would be possible without them.
According to the same document, the abovementioned principles ensure access to the development process, the institutions and available information, including mechanisms for damage compensation and accountability. In the basis of the HRA lies the constant maintaining of the level of respect of human rights and the continuous improvement in their realization.
The Strategy for Social Inclusion, Social Protection and Alleviation of Poverty in Lipkovo municipality has been developed in accordance with the National Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Macedonia (2010-2020) and in accordance with the Open Coordination Method (OCM), which contributes to the strengthening of the capacities of the local government to organize and facilitate a wide consultative process with the civil society organizations, the vulnerable, poor and socially excluded groups of citizens, the business community and all other stakeholders.
In the process of development of this strategic document and in the de ning of the strategic priorities, aims and activities, the Local Partnership Group (LPG) took into consideration the provisions of the following regulations1: • Law on Local Self-Government, O cial Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 5/2002; • Law on Financing of the Local Self-Government Units from 2002; • Law on Territorial Organization of the Local Self-Government Units, O cial Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, no.55/2004; • Law on Balanced Regional Development, O cial Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, 63/2007; • Declaration on the Participation of the Local and Regional Authorities in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2006. At the same time, in the conceptualization of this strategic document, the LPG took into account the key guidelines identi ed in the following programs of the Ministry of Local Self-Government (MLSG):
• Program for Implementation of the Decentralization Process; • National Implementation Programme.
Abbreviation list Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – BIM-FV Skopje
SSO – State Statistical O ce EU – European Union IPARD - Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development PCE – Public Communal Enterprise LAG – Local Action Group LED – Local Economic Development LPG – Local Partnership Group LC – Local community MoES – Ministry of Education and Science MLSP – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy NGO – Non-governmental organization
Analysis PESTEL - PESTEL (Political Factors, Economic Factors, Social Factors, Technological Factors, Environmental Factors and Legal Factors) RM – Republic of Macedonia SWOT Analysis – Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
UNDP – United Nations Development Programme USAID – United States Agency for International Development USAID –MLGA- USAID Macedonia Local Government Activity NHIF – National Health Insurance Fund CSW – Center for Social Work
6 ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND 1. Process of preparation of the Strategic Plan for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion
1.1. Basic principles
Local development, including the processes of alleviation of poverty and social exclusion is a competence of the local self-government, and as such, largely depends on the good planning on the part of the local self-governmental unit. It is usually impossible to identify accurately the needs of the municipalities by using measures on a national level, and therefore, the preparation of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion on a local level is one of the essential measures for the planning of the overall sustainable development of municipalities
The necessity of preparing a Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion arises from the importance of identifying the key social problems faced by the population in Lipkovo municipality. The strategic plan should contribute to the achievement of the vision of the municipality through the realization of strategic aims, which constitute measures for the resolution of the most pressing problems faced by the citizens of Lipkovo municipality.
The Strategic Plan for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Lipkovo municipality is based on the following postulates: • A Human Rights-Based Approach – including the right to a decent standard of living, access to health care services, non-discrimination, education, work, social protection and security, children’s rights and healthy environment; • Millennium Development Goals – in accordance with the Agenda for Global Sustainable Development, aimed at alleviating poverty, overcoming the problem of illiteracy, protecting infants and parturient women, enabling prevention from HIV / AIDS and other epidemics and providing conditions for a healthy living environment; • Integrated process for development planning - a process of participatory planning and decision making, incorporating the strategic aims for the development of the relevant stakeholders on a local level in order to ensure optimal distribution of the available resources among them with thee overall objective of enabling sustainability and providing assistance to the poor and vulnerable groups; • Comprehensive development planning - including all competences of the municipality: urban planning, environmental protection, activities within the municipality, culture and sports, social welfare, education, health and protection from natural disasters; • Human development - including the promotion of the human development approach that is aimed at providing conditions for the display of each individual’s full potential as well as concern for adequate access to the health and education services, in particular, decent standard of living for all; • Sustainable development - approach aimed at uniform, balanced ful llment of the social and economic needs AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION of di erent generations; • Good governance practice - by promoting the values, such as transparency, inclusiveness, responsibility, e ciency, e ectiveness, coherence and ability to deliver (all of which are values associated with the interests of the citizens); 7 • Local self-government - the practice of the local government is a basis for the development of a democratic society that supports the citizens, a society through which the citizens have equal opportunities to realize their rights.
1.2. De nitions
In the preparation of this document the following de nitions related to alleviation of poverty and social exclusion have been used: Poverty: Poor are considered to be individuals, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and social) are at such a level that excludes the minimum acceptable way of living in their country.
Social exclusion: Unlike poverty, which focuses on individuals or households, social exclusion primarily concerns the relationships between the individual and society as well as the dynamics of those relationships. Social exclusion means inability to e ectively participate in the economic, cultural and social life, and in a way, alienation and distancing from the normal social processes.
Social needs: Needs of the individual that condition his existence as a human being as well as needs of the individual that are met in the community.
Social problem: Conditions that a ect a signi cant number of people in the form of undesirable e ects, which given their prevalence are considered to be a source of di culties and dissatisfaction, and which could be prevented, or the e ects of which can be mitigated, by an organized social action.
Social protection: Monetary compensations and personal social services provided to persons who are not part of any scheme of social insurance and who have insu cient means of subsistence for themselves and their family. 1.3. Methodology
The methodology of participatory planning has been used in the preparation of the Strategic Plan for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion. The process of participatory planning has been de ned as a process that includes all concerned stakeholders: individuals, groups, organizations and institutions, as well as their involvement in the decision making on development-related issues, in this case Lipkovo municipality.
The conditions which have to be met in order to apply the participatory planning approach and which were met within the municipality include: - Preparedness on part of the Mayor, the Municipal Council, the local administration, the civil society organizations and business community to implement the participatory planning approach in order to improve the social status of the vulnerable groups of citizens; - Transparency in conducting the activities of the municipality during the planning; - Impartial relations among the Mayor, the administration and the other stakeholders regarding the development of the municipality and improvement of the social inclusion of the vulnerable groups; - Timely implementation of the activities arising from the participatory planning.
The activities which took place in the municipality during the participatory planning process include: - Identifying the relevant factors for the development of the municipality through direct contacts with the local government; - Conducting research and preparing a study concerning the status of vulnerable groups in the municipality; - Formal and informal meetings with the relevant persons and representatives of the various groups and organizations; - Analysis of the existing documents (analyses, studies, strategies, etc.) describing the situation in the municipality, with particular reference to the documents and data that give a picture of the situation in the social sphere; - Harmonization of the de ned priority vulnerable groups, their needs and opportunities as well as strategic aims to improve their situation on a the local level with the development priorities on a local level and planning region level; - Timely and continuous involvement of all stakeholders by establishing a Local Partnership Group consisting of representatives from the civil society, private and public sector in the municipality (the Local Partnership Group underwent a cycle of trainings on human rights and development planning); - Active involvement of all stakeholders in all phases of the strategic planning by setting priorities for the improvement of the situation of the vulnerable groups in the municipality alongside with the Local Partnership Group, interviews with the representatives of the relevant institutions and organizations in the municipality, focus group discussions with the poor and vulnerable groups of citizens; - Involvement of the citizens in the participatory planning process by organizing public debates and discussions, dissemination of information through the mass media and other forms of achieving greater civic involvement. 8 ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND 2. Analysis of the current situation
2.1. General characteristics of Lipkovo municipality Lipkovo municipality belongs to the group of average small rural municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the Republic of Macedonia and covers an area of 270 km2. The geographical con guration of the terrain is mostly highland and mountainous, and much of the territory belongs to the watersheds of the rivers Lipkovska, Lojanska, Slupcanska, Otljanska, Matejacka and Vaksinska. To the north it borders with Kosovo and Serbia, to the east with the municipality of Kumanovo, to the south with Aracinovo and to the west with Skopje.
There are 22 towns in the municipality, all of which are rural local communities. They lie at an average altitude of 365 m above the sea level, which is the average altitude for the country. The average population density is 110 inhabitants per km2. The density is greater in the plain areas whereas the mountainous areas cover larger area, but have fewer inhabitants. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lipkovo with 2644 inhabitants, towards which gravitate the other surrounding villages. The largest settlement in the municipality is the village of Slupcane, with 3789 inhabitants.
According to the census in 2002 there are 27,058 inhabitants in Lipkovo. The population has been continuously on the rise from 1948, when the rst o cial census took place. Compared to the previous census of 1994, the number of inhabitants has increased by 2801 persons. However, in the mountainous areas there is an emigration trend to the plain villages of this area, but also to the cities of Skopje and Kumanovo. Many people immigrated to Turkey. There are 3,599 households and 5,790 housing units in the municipality. The average household has 4 to 6 members. Out of the total population, 13,701 (52%) are male and 13,348 (48%) are female. In terms of ethnic population structure, 26,360 (97.4%) are reported as Albanians, 370 (1.4%) as Serbs, 169 as Macedonians (0.6%) and 0.6% as others.
Table 1. Overview of population according to nationality Albanian Serbian Macedonian Bosnian Vlach Other Total 26.360 370 169 6 1 152 27.058 97.4% 1.4% 0.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.6% 100%
In terms of age structure, the largest group are children age 5 - 14 ; in addition to this, great portion of the population belong to the age group 20 -40 years. STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION
9
Graph 1. Age structure of the population
The municipality has rich natural resources. Special emphasis shall be put on its forest and lake potential. The main economic activity is agriculture which is the dominant activity for 95% of the population. Agriculture covers an area of 22,599 ha, of which 8256 ha or 36.5% is agricultural land irrigated partly from the Lipkovo hydro system. Pastures occupy an area of 4375 ha, whereas forests spread on an area of 9968 ha. One of the main features of this municipality are the two arti cial lakes: Lake Lipkovo used for irrigation, drinking and household use for the inhabitants of the municipality of Kumanovo and Glaznja Lake, which is generally used for irrigation and shing.
Minerals and ores are particularly important for the development of the municipality. The municipality is rich in antimony and arsenic from the Lojane mine, as well as in marble and granite from the settlements of Matejce and Nikustak. The development potentials are mainly seen in the tourism development, the use of fertile land (agriculture and livestock breeding) and the rational exploitation of mineral resources. 2.2. Social pro le of Lipkovo
Education: Primary education is organized in six central and seven regional schools for regular, compulsory education. Of these, two have central heating. The situation with the schools in the highland hill places is relatively good whereas in the mountainous places it is quite bad. A new school building has been built in Nikustak. In Lipkovo there is a secondary school, located in the Lipkovo municipal center. There are no vocational or specialized schools. The number of elementary and high school students is on the increase. However, the participants in focus groups emphasized the problem of lack of money for continuing education. The situation is only worsened by the lack of public awareness of the possibility of obtaining student loans and scholarships.
“We lack the most basic stu . As a student, my main problem was the lack of money to pursue my education. I need money to be able to graduate from university and invest in yourself. My father is unemployed, the other families are also unemployed. Our relatives working abroad give us a hand to cover transportation costs, buy a book or two, but not more than that “- said a student - participant in the focus group.
In Lipkovo municipality there is no preschool facility for children (kindergarten). Employment: Unemployment is the biggest problem of Lipkovo inhabitants, especially of women. The total number of population with working capacity according to the latest data is 5254, out of which 3,491 are unemployed. Out of the total population with working capacity of Lipkovo, only 25% are employed, out of which only 7% are women.
Graph 2. Overview of employed people Graph 3. Overview of unemployed people 10 The population mainly deals with agricultural activities, and most jobs are registered in the private sector, i.e. in the local small and medium-size enterprises. The situation with the unemployment rate is alarming, especially taking
ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND into consideration the poor road infrastructure, the insu ciently used natural and geographical advantages, the insu cient use and deterioration of some facilities (school buildings, associations, centers, etc.) that can be used for economic activities, the insu cient use of the urbanized economic zones, etc. One of the problems faced by farmers is the lack of opportunities to sell their products on the market and the low purchase prices.
“The border crossing and the regional road Lojane-Miratovce has not been paved in asphalt, so the border crossing is not functional. The opening of this border crossing would open a door for the farmers to the Kosovo and Serbia markets. The agricultural activity is quite prevalent “-statement of an adult participant in the focus group.
The migration from the villages to the cities and the growing emigration of citizens abroad, the low level of education and the unskilled labor certainly contribute a great deal to the poor economic situation in Lipkovo. Although, lately the local self-government undertakes signi cant actions to improve this situation, a lot still remains to be done.
Health care: The health care services in the municipality are provided through private health care institutions, 11 private clinics with general physicians and one dental clinic. There is no private gynecological clinic. There are no public specialist clinics, and the most urgent priority is a gynecological-obstetrician practice. There are two pharmacies on the territory of Lipkovo. In the bigger hilly villages there are clinics that provide basic health care services. There are no clinics in the higher mountainous villages. There is no ambulance service. There is no specialist clinic nor polyclinic in Lipkovo. If need arises, inhabitants are sent to Kumanovo and Skopje. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia has adopted a Decision envisaging the establishment of a health care center. The funds for it are already provided and it is already sta ed with medical personnel. The procurement of medical equipment for the health care center is underway.
Social protection: the protection for the youngest and oldest inhabitants of Lipkovo should be improved. There is no kindergarten or nursing home in the municipality. The elderly living in the mountainous villages where there are no basic infrastructure (water, roads, public transport, etc.) as well as the elderly whose younger family members went to work abroad are particularly vulnerable. The Centre for Social Protection which bears competence for Lipkovo is located in Kumanovo; in Lipkovo there is only an o ce providing material assistance to the socially disadvantaged citizens. This o ce has limited capacities in every sense of the word (technical, material, human).
Culture and Sports: In Lipkovo there is a lack of cultural institutions/centers. The network of cultural institutions on a local level is not developed at all. There is no theater, cinema, museum. The central elementary schools dispose of a library, but there is no central municipal library. There was a Cultural Center in Matejce, but after the con ict in 2001, it was completely destroyed. The procedure for construction of a new cultural center is underway, an initiative funded by the Ministry of Culture.
In Lipkovo, there is a sports hall in the village of Slupcane and six sports grounds. There are six sports clubs, out of one proactive football club.
Media: In Lipkovo, there is no local radio or a local television, and no local newspapers.
Civil sector: There are ten registered citizens’ associations in Lipkovo, but only a few of them are active: the ED “Natira”, the Union of Albanian Women - Lipkovo branch o ce, the “Baran” Association, the Association of Albanian Women - Intellectuals.b They are generally aimed at the protection of human rights, emancipation and environmental protection.
Economic entities: In the records of the business entities there are app. 900 economic entities established on the territory of Lipkovo, out of which only 400 are active. Of these, 37% are enterprises, 56% are trade companies and 7% other. Dominant industries include the milling industry and the production industry of carpentry and furniture. Many of the industrial facilities that used to employ many inhabitants of the municipality (part of the neighboring municipality of Kumanovo) have gone bankrupt. Examples include: “Cik Kumanovo”, “Kozara” the tobaccoproducer “Kumanovo”, the agricultural cooperative “Nikustak” and others.
In Lipkovo, agriculture is the traditional dominant activity because there are excellent agro-technical conditions for development, and most of the rural surroundings of arable land is irrigated by the waters of Lipkovo system. According to the agricultural census data of the State Statistical Agency of the Republic of Macedonia, in Lipkovo municipality there are two large farms and 3450 individual farmers, who cover a total area of 8256 ha.
2.3. Dominant social problems in Lipkovo municipality
According to the Study on Poverty and Social Exclusion in Lipkovo, the following social problems have been identi ed: STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Social problems: The social problems related to social development have been singled out as most signi cant social problems in the municipality: unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. The employment rate on the territory of Lipkovo is 11%. In terms of the economic entities, most people are employed in business entities with over 25 employees whereas the fewest people in economic entities with 6-10 employees. Most are employed in the state administration, primarily in the education sector. The black market economy is visible as well. The analysis 11 of the number of unemployed people by educational level shows that the largest part (73.8%) are people with no quali cations and only a small part (2.1%) are people with 2-year college or higher education. Although there is no signi cant di erence in the number of unemployed persons by age, most of the unemployed are between 20- 29, which constitutes 30% of the total number of unemployed persons. One third of the unemployed have been unemployed for eight and more than eight years. In terms of employment, most disadvantaged are the people with the lowest educational level.
The Employment Center bearing competence for Lipkovo is located in Kumanovo.The Centre employs 27 people, out of which 18 have completed university education, 7 secondary education and 2 persons elementary education. The Center, as a competent institution for taking action in case of unemployment, implements active measures to reduce unemployment, including: subsidizing employment, self-employment, employment of disabled people and people from certain target groups. Foreign language training and professional orientation sessions for the unemployed are organized in the job clubs. The users of social monetary assistance are hired only once to carry out public works in the municipality.
The Center for Social Work, which is situated in Kumanovo, is locally competent for the residents of Lipkovo. In Lipkovo there is only an O ce for Material Compensations in which users can get social monetary assistance, permanent monetary assistance and one-term monetary assistance. There are 4 employees in the O ce of the SWC, which is insu cient for a municipality of Lipkovo’s size. The spatial facilities of the O ce are adequte, but there is no modern technical equipment. It is equipped with computers and there is an Internet connection. They do not have any vehicles, but if necessary, vehicles are being sent from Kumanovo. These vehicles are in poor condition.
Other social problems, such as drug abuse, abuse of other phycho-tropic substances or asocial behaviour of children, are present to a lesser degree on the territory of Lipkovo. The population living in high mountainous areas has been singled out as socially most disadvantaged group in the municipality. Given the poor communication and the lack of institutional network necessary for meeting the basic human needs, the inhabitants of these municipalities are completely excluded from mainstream society. In Lipkovo there is one category of citizens who are not enrolled in the birth registry because they did not have the necessary documents, and are thus, unable to use social and other bene ts. On the territory of Lipkovo there was also a large group of citizens who upon the announcement of the visa liberalization with the European Union became asylum seekers in the European countries.
Infrastructural issues: Lipkovo municipality faces major infrastructural problems. One of the most serious problems is the lack of good drinking water. The water supply system is almost inexistent. There is no water supply network in any of the villages and are usually supplied with water through individual wells and springs running through the hill/ highland and mountainous area. Citizens speci cally emphasize this problem and are bothered by it – although the dam is on the territory of Lipkovo, the municipality has no water supply system. In the plain part, the ve Lipkovo villages have temporary partial water networks of poor quality and bad-quality water.
There is a sewerage system only in two villages, i.e. most of the villages are not covered by the sewerage system network, but use septic tanks. Therefore, waste waters polluting groundwater constitute a signi cant problem, as do the individual springs (wells), soil, yards, etc.
The plain areas are connected mainly by asphalt-paved roads whereas the main road artery is the Lipkovo- Kumanovo route. The access to the mountainous villages represents a major problem, especially in winter. In the villages there are unpaved earth roads.
Environmental problems: The quality of the drinking water is the biggest problem for the inhabitants of Lipkovo municipality. The drinking water in plain areas is a problem because it is contaminated with arsenic, antimony and chromium concentrate and other heavy metals and waste waters. These waters are not controlled by the sanitary and health care authorities. In Lipkovo there is also a problem with the illegal land ll. The ccmmunal enterprise with a total number of ten employees operates in only 11 hill/highland villages.
2.4. Social protection in Lipkovo
Lipkovo has developed a Substrategy for Rural Development for the period 2009-2013. This strategy was the basis for the development of the Program for the Development of the Northeast Planning Region under which Lipkovo together with ve other municipalities (Kumanovo, Palanka, Rankovce, Staro Nagoricane and Kratovo) plans its economic, social and environmental development. 12 According to the Substrategy for Rural Development 2009-1013, the vision for Lipkovo municipality is as follows: Lipkovo municipality will be an environmentally clean and developed rural municipality with a high quality of life. ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND This vision should be achieved through activities that will improve the quality of life in the municipality which is further elaborated in the mission given in the Substrategy: To increase the quality of life in Lipkovo municipality through the rural, sociological and economic development as well as through the clean environment.
From the vision and mission statements, it can be concluded that the local self-government in Lipkovo seriously considers the development of the municipality and the prosperity of its citizens.
In these statements it is especially important to recognize the expressed awareness that the local development is not possible without the social development.
Within the municipal administration there is no special department for social protection, and the responsibilities and competences are carried out by an employee in the Unit for Normative, Legal and Public A airs. There is no social worker in the local self-government who would deal with issues related to the social protection of the population.
The Strategy for Local Development 2009/2011 is a signi cant municipal document in which social development is determined as one of the basic pillars of local development. The following strategic social goals have been envisaged: strengthening of the capacities of inhabitants through various courses and trainings, capacity building of the local NGOs, construction of social housing facilities and realization of activities to improve the welfare of children.
The collaboration with the citizens most often takes place through gatherings of the citizens, reporting on local television stations in the neighboring municipality of Kumanovo and through the Information Center in the municipal building. As a form of assistance to socially vulnerable population is granting onetime nancial aid award for which jurisdiction has the mayor. The total budget of the municipality is 270 000 Euro (excluding grants by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia) whereas the annual budget entry of the Mayor for allocation of resources on a basis of a submitted application/request is 3000-4000 Euro, which also includes requests for assistance. The O ce for Material Compensations has, in general, poor co-operate with the NGO sector, the religious organizations and the private sector. The O ce is involved in joint activities with the municipality and cooperation is assessed as good. Given that the O ce is responsible for acting in administrative proceedings when di erent monetary rights are realized, there is no cooperation with the schools and the health care facilities. The cooperation with the local Employment Centre is assessed as not good enough, primarily due to the physical separation. The most burdening problems for the functioning of the O ce include: lack of vehicles, lack of working resources (paper, o ce supplies, etc.) big overload of work upon the professionals, who are serving a large number of clients. Most performance problems arise as a result of the lack of documentation needed for the realization of certain rights of some categories of citizens who have not been registered in the birth records.
It should be underlined that in Lipkovo there is a great need for the establishment of a Center for Social Work or at least for expansion of the powers of the existing O ce of Material Compensations, which would facilitate the realization of the social protection rights.This situation imposes the need for Lipkovo inhabitants to travel to the neighboring municipality of Kumanovo to realize some right to institutional or extra-institutional protection or part of the rights to social protection monetary assistance that cannot be realized in the O ce for Material Compensations.
The analysis of the structure of users of social protection monetary assistance on the territory of Lipkovo municipality shows that 2300 households are bearers of the right to social monetary assistance, and about 80 families use permanent monetary assistance. The one-term monetary assistance most often is granted to cover the cost of health care services. The procedure is rendered even more di cult due to the complex documentation required for the realization of certain rights.
There is no social services network in the municipality. From the forms of extra-institutional protection, there is no center for daily or temporary accommodation of users, foster families or small group home. There is no community kitchen and no institution providing institutional protection.
2.5. Findings from the study of poverty and social exclusion in Macedonia
A basic Study on Poverty and Social Exclusion in Macedonia - Local Social Problems and Needs has been developed in March 2011 within the project “Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia,” of the “Ludwig Boltzmann” Institute of Human Rights. The survey whose data will follow as a quantitative method for data collection is just one part of the study (one of the used sources of data), which consists of a qualitative part, i.e. an analysis of the content of existing documents, interviews with professional structures and focus group discussions with the vulnerable and the poor.
For the purposes of this study, a survey has been conducted in Lipkovo on 100 rural households, all of Albanian STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION ethnicity. The structure of the surveyed households by type of household shows that most respondents are non- agricultural (26%), followed by agricultural (13%) and mixed (57%) whereas 4% have not provided information on the type of household. In terms of the age structure, in most households, the “head of the household” is between 50-59 years of age(46%), in 36% of the households, the “head of the household” is between 40-49 years of age, in 14% he/ she is older than 60 and in 4% is between 30-39 years years of age. Five-member households (28%) and six-member 13 households (18%) are the greatest in number. In 92 households the head of the household is male, and in only 8 households the head of the household is a woman.
According to the survey, the main economic activity is agriculture which is the dominant activity for 95% of the population. Much of the employed population works in the milling industry and in private companies for production of furniture and carpentry.
Of the total number of households surveyed, in 47% of the cases there is none employed members, and the ratio of employed men to employed women is 95 (men) to 10 (women).
The analysis of the obtained data shows that 30 households did not generate any income from regular employment in the past 12 months.
Respondents from Lipkovo stated that in their populated place there is a sports eld (89), swings (5), a cafe-bar (71), a library (57), a restaurant (96), a market (94) and an Internet cafe and sports betting house (89). In 37 households it was mentioned that nobody uses the Internet. In 53% of cases of Internet use, respondents used a home computer, and only in nine cases used Internet from an Internet cafe.
In Lipkovo the dominant problems in the eld of social inclusion are as follows: unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. Namely, there are 4,702 registered unemployed persons in the Employment Center, of which 35% are women. Most of the unemployed are unskilled workers and only 2.1% have two-year college or higher education. Almost one third of the unemployed are between 20 and 29 years of age. Also, one third of the unemployed are long- term unemployed (more than 8 years).
The survey showed that the elderly, the population living in high mountainous areas of the municipality and disabled persons are vulnerable groups of citizens. The drugs, alcohol and other psychotropic substances’ addicts represent a somewhat minor problem. At the municipal level, there are no special institutions and support centers for these categories of citizens.
The persons who have not been recorded in the registers have been pointed out as a separate social problem in the survey .
3. Findings from the workshop for priority setting in the area of social development in Lipkovo municipality
3.1. Identi cation of vulnerable groups
A total number of 11 representatives of the local leadership group of Lipkovo municipality attended the workshop held March 21-23, 2011 in the Drim Hotel in Struga.
The vulnerable groups in Lipkovo municipality and their speci c problems were analyzed at the workshop through a constructive and open discussion. Three priority vulnerable groups and their priority problems were identi ed. Three working groups focused on the social aspects of three age groups of citizens in the municipality, namely: • children; • adults, and • elderly people.
From each age group, special categories of vulnerable citizens facing speci c needs were identi ed. According to the work of the working groups, the following have been identi ed as special categories of vulnerable children, adults and elderly people:
Table 2. Vulnerable groups of citizens Children Adults Elderly people - Children with physical and mental - Persons that do not have - Elderly people living alone disabilities regulated status in the country - Elderly people in mountainous - Children living in villages without - Unemployed people villages 14 basic infrastructure - Persons without any educational - Elderly people with no access to - Children from isolated background health care
ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND mountainous villages
- Children without parents
- Children from poor families
The children with special needs who live in Lipkovo municipality lack basic conditions for development. They represent a major burden for the parents and the whole family, and are thus, excluded from the educational process and the whole community. Their rights are not being realized because the family, fearing stigmatization in the community, literally hides these children. Given that there are no so-called special classes in the schools of Lipkovo municipality, these children do not have any possibilities to get an education and to get involved in the social life, so they are left only to the care of their family.
The children from the mountainous areas and the places with no basic infrastructure are particularly vulnerable when it comes to education, socialization and health care. Namely, with the exception of the primary district schools (up to grade 4) in these places there are no additional opportunities to learn foreign languages, get involved in music or sports, nor any other activities that help to develop their educational, health and spiritual potential. Taking into account the poor road infrastructure, these children are unable to participate in the additional activities in the other populated areas of Lipkovo municipality. There are no local clinics in the mountainous areas, so the children (and other inhabitants) living there do not have health care.
Lipkovo is a traditional community in which the children without parents and parental care are mainly taken care by the extended family. Still, there is no special care for these children in the municipality, especially not when it comes to the provision of support in the educational process, personal development and improvement of their nancial condition. The children from poor families face a problem in the educational process where they are often excluded by their classmates, mainly because of their clothing, textbooks and other school-related materials. The inability to socialize with their peers, which is related to additional nancial resources needed, also a ects the self-security and self- con dence of the young persons. Greater care should be provided from the community for these children, so that they can develop their potential and become useful and productive members of society.
During discussion, the following particular problems faced by the children and young people in Lipkovo municipality were identi ed:
- Violence in schools; - Lack of cultural, sports’ and recreational facilities; - Lack of speci c subject-matter classrooms in schools; - Lack of development programs to support talented children; - Lack of professional sta in schools.
According to the available statistical data, most inhabitants of Lipkovo municipality belong to the age range of 20 -39. The people that do not have regulated status (i.e. citizenship) in the Republic of Macedonia were singled out as a specially vulnerable category of adults within the working group. These people are facing problems in the realization of their rights to health care, social protection, employment, education, travel abroad as well a number of other problems.
Unemployment is the main problem for the adult population of Lipkovo, causing many other problems and limitations in their life. The lack of facilities, companies and organized agricultural entities worsen the already unfavorable situation with the employment rate. The unemployed, as outlined in the working group, do not form families, live in poverty, and often resort to vices (alcohol, drugs, gambling and betting).
The following problems faced by the adults and citizens of working capacity of Lipkovo municipality were speci cally highlighted: - Lack of infrastructure leading to a lack of direct and indirect investments in the municipality; - Underdeveloped small and medium size businesses, as an opportunity for employment; - Non-regulated (citizenship) status which prevents access to all rights and obligations; - Lack of funding for the higher education; STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION - Unemployment - which causes inability to provide basic living conditions for the family.
Old people from Lipkovo face serious problems in achieving their rights to health care, especially those who have not regulated their status in the Republic of Macedonia. Particularly vulnerable are the elderly who live alone and face their own inability to complete the household chores, take care of themselves and their health, and have no 15 socialization opportunities. The elderly who live in the mountainous villages due to the poor infrastructure (water supply system, sewerage system, roads) can not live a normal and digni ed life. Given that in the mountainous villages there is no medical care whatsoever, it can be concluded that there are no basic living conditions for these citizens.
The elderly in Lipkovo face the following problems:
- Lack of daily care for the elderly and disabled citizens; - Lack of homes and daycare centers to support the elderly; - Lack of health care (many elderly people have no health insurance);
3.2. Identi cation of speci c problems of the vulnerable groups of citizens in Lipkovo municipality
During the workshop the participants worked on a detailed analysis of the problems for each of the three categories of citizens of Lipkovo (according to age). For each group, three key problems faced by persons from that speci c group were identi ed. For each problem, the discussion resulted in an analysis of the problems and the reasons for each problem and its consequences were determined. Furthermore, the external factors for each problem were discussed (political, economic, social, technical, legal, environmental) or the so-called PESTEL analysis was conducted. These external factors re ect upon the consequences of the problem and can have a positive or negative e ect, i.e. they can contribute to the mitigation or resolution of the problem, or, on the other hand, worsen the condition. If the external factors have a positive e ect, they can be used to plan the activities for overcoming the identi ed problem. If the external factor has a negative e ect, then additional protection measures should be undertaken in the planning of the problem solution. Working group: children
In this working group, three priority issues related to the social inclusion of children in Lipkovo were considered. The discussion in the group showed that the biggest problem for the children with special needs is their rejection by the whole community, including schools, peers, and generally, most of the citizens. It creates many problems in the lives of the children with special needs and their families, which ultimately re ects on the life in the wider community. The lack of conditions for the development of children and young people is a major problem in Lipkovo, especially when it comes to the extracurricular activities, taking into consideration that the largest percentage of the population in the municipality is under the age of 14. The insu cient development of the talented students, the neglect of the basic traditional values, such as honesty, hard work, etc., is caused by the lack of proper conditions for further learning and socialization of the young people in Lipkovo.
Poverty becomes present in the everyday life of citizens in the Republic of Macedonia, especially in underdeveloped and rural areas, such as Lipkovo municipality. The consequences of being poor are felt particularly hard by the children and the young people, since growing up and living in harsh conditions restrict the possibilities for their development. These are serious problems and their resolution should involve the whole community and local self-government by providing adequate conditions (construction of cultural and sports facilities, support of young and talented students etc.); schools (greater involvement of teachers in organizing extracurricular activities, additional teaching for the particularly low-performing and particularly high-performing students, non-discrimination of children on the basis of their social background, activities to promote positive values, work with parents, etc.); civil society (mobilization of additional resources and donations, organizing educational activities, etc.); parents (greater care for the raising of children) and all other stakeholders in the development of Lipkovo municipality.
Table 3. Causal and consequential relation of the problems detected in children Causes Problem Consequence - overburdening of the nuclear family with obligations and care for - poor economic condition of the the children family and community - exclusion from the community - lack of adequate institution for Insu cient care of the community and social life their care and development for the children with special needs - incapability of the children for - failure to accept /refusal by the independent life, selfsustainability other members of the community and making a contribution to the 16 community
- poor economic condition of the citizens and the local self – - violence in the schools ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND government in Lipkovo - lack of opportunities to identify - lack of adequate institutions for and support the development of development of young people talented children and young people Lack of conditions for development (sports’ halls, educational, cultural - bad reputation of the young of children and young people and other institutions and population possibilities) - neglect of the basic human values - lack of adequate developmental (honour, hard work, trust, etc.) programs for the young people
- lack of opportunities of gaining - poor economic condition – lack employment and nding a well of funds paid job - di erent treatment of the male Exclusion of children coming from - a drop in the education level of and female children (priority of the poor families from the educational the community male children when it comes to process - increasingly creating conditions education) that lead to exclusion in the - early school leaving community
The group also discussed external factors a ecting the problems of children. The following external in uences were pointed out in the discussion:
- Failure to implement the adequate legislation in the eld of improving the condition of children with special needs; - Lack of adequate facilities for children with special needs and elderly people (day care centers, nursing home, community kitchen, etc.)
- Negative impact of climatic conditions; - Insu cient information on possible investments for the development of children and young people (international funds, state programs, civil society organizations and initiatives); - Unequal opportunities for the development of rural and urban areas; - Lack of state investments for the development of young people in Lipkovo; - Unequal investments in the di erent regions on the part of the state; - Failure to use the opportunities of the international community; - Lack of programs for social inclusion for children from poor families; - Lack of technical and spatial conditions in the educational institutions in Lipkovo municipality. These factors have been taken into account in setting the strategic aims and priorities as well as in the preparation of the Action Plan.
Working Group: Adults
In this working group, three priority issues a ecting adults in Lipkovo municipality have been considered. The main problem of the inhabitants is the unemployment, which is a global problem in the Republic of Macedonia. The consequences of unemployment are su ered not only by the adult people of working capacity, but also by their children and parents. Furthermore, the negative consequences of unemployment are re ected on the entire community.
The citizenship issue has arisen in Lipkovo municipality after the Republic of Macedonia gained independence and is increasingly a ecting the inhabitants of this municipality. The non-regulated status constitutes a limitation for the inhabitants in every sense possible: upon obtaining health care, in employment, when traveling abroad, etc. This problem can be perceived as a problem of the individual, but if the number of such individuals is considerable, then this constitutes a problem for the community and adequate measures for its resolution should be undertaken.
Lipkovo municipality was a ected by the con ict in 2001, the consequences of which can be felt ten years after its completion. The municipality is uno cially still considered a “crisis area”, which has a negative e ect on the potential investors, and development, in general. The problem with those people who lost their loved ones in the con ict has still not been resolved, which has resulted in the exclusion of this people from the social processes.
Table 4. Causal and consequential relation of the problems detected in adults Causes Problem Consequence - Acquiring bad habits (stealing,
- Lack of nancial resources for alcoholism, drug abuse) AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION education - People do not enter into marriages - Lack of basic conditions (lack of – Decrease of the birth rate basic infrastructure) which means High unemployment rate (poor families do not have family lack of conditions for direct and planning) indirect investments - Decrease in the number of the 17 population
- Lack of basic rights - Lack of opportunities to get an - Non-registered persons in the education, nd a job, receive social birth registers (the services have not welfare or health care updated data in real time, citizens Non-regulated status (citizenship) - Limiting of the traveling abroad are not informed, parents do not – lack of possession of personal have eregulated stay, citizenship documents criteria have not been met)
- The 2001 con ict (disabled participants in the con ict ) - No resocialization and - Lack of respect of the principle of Inadequate protection of the reintegration programs for the equality of all citizens disabled and widows from the 2001 disabled persons from the con ict - Lack of political will to protect the con ict - Social exclusion of these citizens disabled participants in the 2001 con ict
The following external in uences that have a negative e ect on the position of adults have been identi ed as particularly important in Lipkovo: - Failure to implement laws; - A small number of Internet users; - Construction land owned by the central government; - Lack of economic, industrial and production facilities; - Unfavorable investment climate that deters potential foreign and domestic investors; - Marginalization of citizens; - Lack of implementation of the domestic and EU regulations; - Lack of free health insurance; - Lack of guaranteed funds and rights of the families of the killed in the con ict. These factors are taken into account in setting the strategic aims and priorities as well as in the preparation of the Action Plan.
Working group: Elderly
The elderly, perhaps, are the most vulnerable group in each community, especially when one considers the increasingly prevalent tendency to abandon the traditional way of life. In the municipality one part of the population is temporarily working abroad whereas their families, mostly elderly people, have remained in Lipkovo to live alone. Due to age, these individuals have intensi ed health care needs and their possiblities of obtaining care have been limited by the material condition of their families. Those families who are able to arrange private care for elderly members, do so by compensating in payment to the people who care for the elderly in their absence.
In Lipkovo there is no nursing home or day care center for the elderly, which would alleviate the problems of this category of citizens.
The problem is even greater for the elderly who live in the mountainous villages with no basic infrastructure and lack of health care. The consequences of this situation include: deteriorated health, loneliness, inability to meet basic living and social needs, etc.
Table 5. Causal and consequential relation of the problems detected in elderly people Causes Problem Consequences - Loneliness of the elderly - Temporary emoloyment abroad of - Lack of any assistance (health care, their children nancial, physical) - No public institutions that would - Lack of communication and Lack of adequate care for elderly take care of them socialization with the others people living alone - A tendency of young couples of - Worsening of the health condition living alone - Lack of physical assistance by 18 another person
- Lack of public health care institutions (in Lipkovo there is no ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND clinic yet and in the mountainous - Worsening of the health condition villages there are no private clinics of the elderly and no ambulance service) Inadequate and insu cient health - High health care costs - Lack of valid documents care for the elderly - Frequent deaths (citizenship status, health care booklet, etc.) - No health care insurance
- Failure to detect grave illnesses (diagnoses) - Non-asphalted road infrastructure - Frequent deaths - Lack of organized transportation - Lack of information on events and for the elderly developments in the country Lack of access to the institutions - Lack of vehicles for organized - Lack of information regarding the for the persons from mountainous transportation of the elderly events/developments and legal villages - No home nurse for parturient obligations/rights women (no mobile medical team) - Lack of realization of the legally guaranteed rights (social assistance, lack of access to institutions)
The following external factors a ecting the situation of the elderly were highlighted:
- Lack of special programs to support the marginalized elderly people; - Many of the elderly do not receive pensions and are not entitled to bene ts; - The pension bene ciaries are not adequately informed of the bene ts available for them; - Lack of funds for care of the elderly; - Lack of public institutions (nursing homes); - No legal obligation to establish institutions; - Lack of clean water, pollution of the environment; - Lack of free health care for the elderly; - Lack of nancial assistance funds - Lack of public health care facilities; - Strict unfavourable provisions in the Law on Citizenship; - Water supply system, sewerage system; - Securing funding from the central government for infrastructural development ; - Making amendments in the Law on Municipal Financing; - Activating mobile teams to visit the mountainous villages; - Adoption of the Law on Development of Mountainous Villages; - Regular control of drinking water in the municipality.
These factors have been taken into account in setting the strategic aims and priorities as well as in the preparation of the Action Plan.
4. Strategic aims and activities for alleviation of poverty and social exclusion in Lipkovo municipality
Priority area: Children
Aim 1: Improved care of the community for children with special needs
Activities: 1.1. Identi cation of children with special educational needs ; 1.2. Educational campaign for accepting children with special needs ; 1.3. Acceleration of the activities for work of the Daily Center for Children with Special Needs.
Aim 2: Creating conditions for development of children and young people
Activities: AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION 2.1. Organization of lab-subject matter classroom teaching in schools; 2.2. Encouragement of construction of sports’ elds and cultural centers; 2.3. Establishment of cultural, art, sports’ associations ; 2.4. Development of a Program for Development of Young People. 19
Aim 3: Inclusion of children from poor families in the educational system
Activities: 3.1. Development of a program for their inclusion in the educational system; 3.2. Organization of a campaign for promotion of positive values in society; 3.3. Development of a program for priority employment of young people that come from poor families.
Priority area: Adults
Aim 1: Increase of the number of employed people
Activities: 1.1. Provision of monthly scholarships for secondary school students and university students; 1.2. Development of a feasibility study for identi cation and urbanization of free economic zones ; 1.3. Organization of presentations for the fostering of the development of small and medium size businesses; 1.4. Lobbying for the improvement of the business climate. 1.5. Organization of meetings with potential investors. Aim 2: Increase of the number of people that have obtained citizenship
Activities: 2.1. Establishment of a committee within the municipality; 2.2. Identi cation of people without citizenship and regulated stay; 2.3. Undertaking activities in accordance with the identi ed needs.
Aim 3: Improvement of the situation of disabled people and widows from the 2001 con ict
Activities: 3.1. Lobbying for the resolution of the status of these people ; 3.2. Preparation of a special program for resocialization and reintegration of disabled people; 3.3. Preparation of a special program for support of the children and families of the people killed in the con ict .
Priority area: Elderly people
Aim 1: Improvement of the care for the elderly people
Activities: 1.1. Establishment of a Daily Center for the Elderly ; 1.2. Hiring an NGO to visit the elderly people (once a week, etc.) ; 1.3. Provision of physical assistance by a third party (intermediation). Aim 2: Improvement of the health care
Activities: 2.1. Lobbying to the MPs to make amendments in the Law on citizenship; 2.2. Organization of public discussions concerning the initiative to register farmers ; 2.3. Establishment of an ambulance service in Lipkovo municipality .
Aim 3: Improvement of the access to the institutions 20 Activities: 3.1. Repairing of the road infrastructure (lobbying to the state and international foundations to assist in the repairing of the roads in the mountainous villages) ; ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND 3.2. Establishment of a mobile team for early detection of diseases ; 3.3. Visit to the registrar’s services in the mountainous villages .
Priority area: Promotion of the social protection system in Lipkovo municipality
Aim 1: Strenghtening of the capacities of the municipal administration Activities: 1.1. Strengthening of the capacities of the municipal administration through hiring a social worker in the municipality; 1.2. Strengthening of the capacities of the municipal administration through training of the employees on the opportunities and forms of developing the social protection functions of the municipality; 1.3. Training on strategic planning and development of programs from the area of social protection;
1.4. Expansion of the forms of social protection o ered by the municipality (predominantly, nancial assistance) with new forms of social services ;
1.5. Increase in the percentage of the budget allocated for social protection and increase of the e ciency in the use of these budgetary resources. Aim 2: Expanding of the competences of the Center for Social Work of Lipkovo municipality
Activities: 2.1. Lobbying to the central government to expand the competences of the Social Work Unit within the CSW Kumanovo on the territory of Lipkovo municipality
Aim 3. Establishing mechanisms to identify, consult with and include the poor and vulnerable in the decision-making processes and their implementation
Activities: 3.1. Conducting of surveys though dissemination of questionnaires, organization of focus group discussions, public discussions etc. with the representatives of the vulnerable and poor groups in Lipkovo municipality.
5. Implementation of the Strategy for Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion
The basic assumption for the possible implementation of the Strategy is the best possible commitment on the part of the local self-government, civil society, private enterprises and, of course, citizens as end users of the bene ts from the realization of the strategic plans.
The obligation of the local government here is particularly important since the institutional and legal prerequisites for a successful implementation of planned actions should be enabled.
A three year Action Plan has been prepared within the Strategy although the strategy covers a period of 5 years. This is done in order to monitor more easily the implementation of planned actions, monitoring and evaluating performance. After two years (May 2014), it is necessary to evaluate the achievements under the Action Plan and make an appropriate review of the strategic document.
It is particularly important for the local self-government in Lipkovo to establish a separate working group or body (Committee) which is responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Action Plan through the monitoring of set indicators. The rst task of this body would be to prepare a detailed monitoring plan AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION and to act according to it.
It is important to provide visibility for the implementation of the Strategy. It can be done mainly through public promotion of the annual reports on the progress and results of the implementation of the Strategy, which is an additional tool that will allow citizens an insight into the changes it implies. 21 Budget Deadline May 2012 May September 2012 individual Responsible organization/ Lipkovo municipality, MLSP municipality, Lipkovo 2012 December Lipkovo municipality, respon- municipality, Lipkovo advisor from sible education municipalityLipkovi NGO working with children with special educational Rezja ex. for needs,
22 Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Записници од Записници од и одлуки средбите, од документи останати Општината Minutes’ from held from Minutes’ participantmeetings, report Annual list, from elementarythe central reports schools, form Develop- for the Bureau of Education ment Survey forms, a gen- Survey forms, report, physician’s eral school reports, nding the and opinion from Mental for Center Health – Skopje Indicators Number of contacts with the MLSP, Number of contacts with the MLSP, the facilitate to in order issued licenses of construction of the Center process and enable its functioning Number of held workshops and public Number of held workshops one discussions (six public discussions, elementaryper each central school), (20% of trained number of teachers the sta ), number of people present the meetings/discussions (30-50 at participants), number of established least one per each special classes (at elementary 6), in total central school, speech therapists number of employed 6) in total sta , (specialized Number of identi ed children (per- children Number of identi ed been cat- have that of children centage with special needs as children egorized and medical assessment and received institutions), relevant ndings from and degree to according classi cation areas) type populated of handicap by Strategic priority Strategic Acceleration of the ac- Acceleration of the Daily work tivities for with Children for Center Needs Special Educational Educational campaign for for campaign Educational with children accepting needs special educational Identi cation of children of children Identi cation with special educational needs 6. ACTION PLAN ACTION 6. Children the priority area: Action plan for the age of 26) with special needs (up to children for of the community care aim 1 – Improved Strategic Budget Deadline June 2014 June 2014 3 years, 30% imple-3 years, mentation June 2012 individual Responsible organization/ Lipkovo municipality, Ministry municipality, Lipkovo and Science, of Education Ministry Agency for of Culture, and Sport Youth Lipkovo municipality, Agency municipality, Lipkovo and Sport, Ministry Youth for and Science, of Education Ministry of Culture Ministry and of Education Science Team from the municipality, the municipality, from Team NGO sector STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Veri cation means Veri cation Minutes’, participant Minutes’, number of estab-lost, lished associations Realized initiatives and initiatives Realized constructed centers School Report Annual the municipality, from Team Minutes’ from the meet- from Minutes’ ings , participant list, program, developed program decision for the Council adoption by 23 Indicators Established one new cultural and artEstablished one new cultural number of held meetings with center, for initiatives two people, the young clubs of sports’ the establishment 5 constructed sports’ halls in schools, halls in schools, 5 constructed sports’ of the completion elds, 4 sports’ Home in construction of the Cultural Matejce Number of open classrooms (6 in Number of open classrooms elementarycentral schools and 1 in the secondary school), number of trained mark of average improved teachers, students Held meetings with the young people Held meetings with the young secondaryin two number of schools, meetings with high schools gradu- 3), number in the NGOs (in total ates, the meetings (at at of people present least 10 participants per meeting) Strategic priority Strategic Establishment of cultural, of cultural, Establishment associations art, sports’ Encouragement of con- Encouragement elds struction of sports’ centers and cultural Organization of lab-subjectOrganization teaching classroom matter in schools Development of a Program of a Program Development Young of Development for People Strategic aim 2 – Creating conditions for development of children and young people and young of children development for conditions aim 2 – Creating Strategic Budget Deadline end of 2011 September- October 2011 zation/individual zation/individual Responsible organi- Municipality, NGO, NGO, Municipality, center Employment NGO Lipkovo municipal- Lipkovo Union schools, ity, of High School Students
24 Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Participant lists, minutes’, work work minutes’, lists, Participant lists of the courses, from program the completed participants have that and furtherrequali cation quali ca- tion courses Contract and nal report the Contract for nancing of the project, promotional meetings from minutes’ material, Minutes’ from working from meetings Minutes’ the criteria determine and held to of direct the granting for procedure grant- a book of rules for assistance, of the nal account ing assistance, budget of the munici- municipality, a list of bene ciaries of direct pality, assistance Indicators Number of held information sharing Number of held information number of participants workshops, (at courses, least 20), number of organized number of participants the courses at Prepared and realized project, submit- and realized Prepared number of realized the donor, to ted meetings , number of people present Set criteria for the granting of direct the granting Set criteria for that number of students assistance, of nancial amount it, received have this purpose for allocated resources Strategic priority Strategic Organization of informa- Organization tion sharing activities and requali cation for courses and further quali cation groups of vulnerable (English language courses, of preparation computers, a business plan, etc.) Organization of a cam- Organization of the promotion for paign in society values positive Organization of direct Organization students for assistance of poor families (school etc.) clothes, materials, Strategic aim 3 – Improvement of the school conditions for children from poor families from children for of the school conditions aim 3 – Improvement Strategic Budget Deadline December 2012 December 2012 December cember 2012 cember continually 3 years 3 years continually individual Responsible organization/ Municipality, NGO, business NGO, Municipality, sector Municipality, NGO Municipality, Municipality, Urnanism Unit Municipality, 2011 – De- August Council of Lipkovo municipal- of Lipkovo Council responsible ity and mayor, elementary for and employee secondary education STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Veri cation means Veri cation Minutes, participantMinutes, Register Central lists, Contract for the de- for Contract of a study, velopment of the amendment Planning Detailed Town Scheme Register of scholarship Register bene ciaries , budget, nal budget account 25 Indicators Number of presentations, number Number of presentations, of participants, number of approved amount direct investments’ credits, Decision of Lipkovo municipality, num- municipality, Decision of Lipkovo external consultants ber of hired Number of granted scholarships, scholarships, Number of granted the budget of from percentage scholarship amounts municipality, Strategic priority Strategic Lobbying for the improve- for Lobbying of the business ment of (organization climate meetings with possible investors) Organization of presenta- Organization the fostering tions for of of the development small and medium size enterprises Development of a feasibil- Development identi cation ity study for and urbanization of free zones economic Provision of monthly of monthly Provision second- scholarships for ary and school students students university Action plan for priority area: Elderly people priority area: Action plan for people of the number of employed aim 1 – Increase Strategic Budget Deadline June 2012 August 2011 August individual Responsible organization/ Team from the municipality from Team 3 years continually Committee, NGO, municipality NGO, Committee, June 2013 Committee Municipality, Council of Lip- Council Municipality, municipality kovo
26 Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Minutes’ from meetings, meetings, from Minutes’ participant peri- lists, odic meetings within the team Data base, les of base, Data list of meetings, clients, minutes Participant list, minutes’ minutes’ list, Participant public discussions, from from lists and minutes’ of register direct visits, persons without citizen- ship sion of the Council of sion of the Council a municipality, Lipkovo decision on the estab- of a committee lishment Health Care Center Center Health Care Committee Health Care 2 years Indicators Number of meetings with coordinators Number of meetings with coordinators sections,of Parliamentary number of the peti- signed have people that tion, number of meetings with other municipalities aid, number of held meetings with a aid, letters number of prepared lawyer, Number of people present at the pub- at Number of people present lic discussion, number of registered num- number of direct visits, people, in the media ber of announcements Number of Committee members Number of Committee the ses- Minutes from Number of people that exercise the exercise Number of people that health care right to Strategic priority Strategic Lobbying for the amend- for Lobbying on of the Law ment citizenship 2.1.2. Organization of direct 2.1.2. Organization places visits in populated 2.1.3. Reporting on the part of the citizens legal aid of free Provision legal Number of bene ciaries of free Identi cation of persons Identi cation without citizenship of a 2.1.1. Organization public discussion Establishment of a commit- Establishment in the municipalitytee Strategic objective 2 – Provision of support for the regulation of the status of persons without citizenship of persons without citizenship of the status of support the regulation for objective 2 – Provision Strategic Budget Deadline December 2012 December 2012 December March 2012 March continually until the until continually has been problem nally resolved individual Responsible organization/ Team from the municipality, the municipality, from Team NGO the municipality, from Team NGO Team from the municipality, the municipality, from Team NGO STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Veri cation means Veri cation Lists and minutes’ from from Lists and minutes’ the program meetings, itself Petition, minutes’ from from minutes’ Petition, the Archive meetings, of the of the Parliament Republic of Macedonia 27 Indicators Number of working meetings, hired Number of workinghired meetings, in experts, number of persons involved de ning of and format the preparation the program Number of working meetings, hired Number of workinghired meetings, in experts, number of persons involved de ning of and format the preparation the program the petition, number of MPs to whom to the petition, number of MPs number of it has been submitted, of Parlia- meetings with coordinators mentary sections Strategic priority Strategic Preparation of a special Preparation support for of the program and families of the children people killed in the con ict 3.1.2. Organization of 3.1.2. Organization meetings with coordinators of parliamentary sections and distribution of the the MPs petition to of a special Preparation resocializa- for program of tion and reintegration disabled people Lobbying for the resolu- for Lobbying of these tion of the status people signing 3.1.1. Petition signed have Number of people that Strategic aim 3: Improvement of the situation of disabled people and widows from the 2001 con ict from of disabled people and widows of the situation aim 3: Improvement Strategic Budget Deadline the home has been established 2 years June 2014 individual Responsible organization/ Social A airs Committee Social A airs until continually Information Center Center Information Council of Lipkovo of Lipkovo Council a private NGO, municipality, company Social A airs Committee Committee Social A airs June 2014
28 Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Functioning Home for Home for Functioning the Elderly Report of the municipal Center Information Report the from competition, realized the between contract municipality and the report on the work NGO, done Local community, community, Local ReportAnnual of Municipality Lipkovo Indicators Number of companies that have have that Number of companies an idea for realized been interested, of an elderly establishment people’s home Number of elderly people that have Number of elderlyhave people that number of assistance, been provided job seekers Number of applicant organizations organizations Number of applicant after the publishing of an quality of the announcement, of the proposed (experience o er number of visits and price), sta , number of involved bene ciaries, people in making this visits Number of comprised people, address, address, people, Number of comprised government the central to initiative Strategic priority Strategic Encouragement of a Encouragement partnershippublic-private of a the establishment for the Elderly Home for Provision of conditions of conditions Provision of the establishment for a serviceof assistance for elderly people Organization of direct visits Organization the of the elderly through NGO sector a week, (once etc.) Establishment of a Daily Establishment the Elderly for Center People Action plan for priority area: Elderly people priority area: Action plan for people the elderly for of the care aim 1 – Improvement Strategic Budget Deadline 1 year 2 years individual Responsible organization/ Council of Lipkovo of Lipkovo Council mayor municipality, Health Care CommitteeHealth Care 1 year NGO( agriculture ) NGO( agriculture STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Veri cation means Veri cation Obtained licenses for for Obtained licenses of a the establishment polyclinic Archive of the Archive municipality Report of the work from the NGO Health Care Center Center Health Care Committee Health Care 2 years 29 Indicators Request on the part of of the Council municipality the Ministry to Lipkovo of Health, number of meetings Request on the part of the COUNCIL the to MUNICIPALITY OF LIPKOVO of an Ministry procurement of Justice, vehicle ambulance Number of public discussions (8-10), 5000 and disseminated printed brochures Number of people that exercise the exercise Number of people that a health care right to Strategic priority Strategic Raising an initiative to to Raising an initiative in establish a polyclinic municipality Lipkovo Establishment of an Establishment serviceambulance in municipality Lipkovo Organization of public Organization discussions concerning register to the initiative farmers Strategic aim 2 – Improvement of the health care of the health care aim 2 – Improvement Strategic Budget Deadline 2 years 3 years individual Responsible organization/ Legal and Normative A airs A airs and Normative Legal Committee Health Care Committee Committee Health Care June 2014 Unit for Urbanism and Con- Unit for struction
30 Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND Archive Archive, Annual Report Annual Archive, of the Health Care Center Archive, report from Archive, nal the municipality, the mu- from account nicipality Indicators Request by the Council to the Ministry to the Council Request by of Justice Request of the Council to the Health to Request of the Council medi- regular organize to Center Care number each six months, cal check-ups have number of people that of visits, these check-ups been through Decision of the Council, constructed Decision of the Council, (no of km) of dona- , amount highway tion funds Strategic priority Strategic Visit to the registrar’s the registrar’s to Visit services in the mountain- ous villages Establishment of a mobile Establishment early detection of for team diseases Repairing of the road Repairing of the road to (lobbying infrastructure and international the state assist in the to foundations in of the roads repairing villages) the mountainous Strategic aim 3 – Improvement of the access to the institutions for the elderly the elderly the institutions for to of the access aim 3 – Improvement Strategic Deadline Budget 2012-2014 2012-2014 2012-2014 2012-2014 2012-2014 individual Responsible organization/ Council of Lipkovo of Lipkovo Council mayor municipality, of Lipkovo Council MCSW, mayor, municipality, of Lipkovo Council MCSW, mayor, municipality, NGO of Lipkovo Council MCSW municipality, of Lipkovo Council mayor municipality, Veri cation means Veri cation Factual sheet from the sheet from Factual held trainings list; Participant Reports, and Photographs. Decision of the Council, published in the O cial of Lipkovo Gazette municipality; Budget of Lipkovo municipality; payment. Decision for Decision of the Council, published in the O cial of Lipkovo Gazette municipality; Budget of Lipkovo municipality. Work contracts Договор Договор contracts Work за работа; of Act of Systematization in the Positions Work the Municipal Administration • • • • • • • • • • • STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION
31 Indicators Number of implemented trainings for for trainings Number of implemented the administration; comprised of employees Percentage the total to compared in the training number of employees trainings; Number of delivered and persons, Number of trained professionals. Number of involved of forms Number of newly introduced social services; requests; Number of received services; Number of delivered budgetary of allocated Percentage funds ; on new of funds spent Percentage of social services. forms of budgetary allocated Percentage social protection; funds for funds of social protection Percentage purpose. the intended for spent Number of employed professional professional Number of employed sta members • • • • • • • • • • • • • Strategic priority Strategic 1.2. Strengthening of the capacities 1.2. Strengthening of the municipal administration of the employees training through on the opportunities of and forms the social protection developing functions of the municipality planning on strategic Training 1.4. of programs and development of social protection the area from groups vulnerable di erent for of 1.5. Expansion of the forms the by o ered social protection municipality (predominantly, with new nancial assistance) of social servicesforms 1.6. Increase in the percentage social for of the budget allocated of the and increase protection e ciency in the use of these budgetary resources 1.1. Strengthening of the capacities 1.1. Strengthening of the municipal administration and/ the reallocation through sta od adequate or employment on spcial protetction will work that issues Action plan of activities aimed at improvement of the social protection system in Lipkovo municipality in Lipkovo of the social protection system Action plan of activities improvement aimed at of the capacities of the municipal administration aim 1: Strenghtening Strategic Budget Budget Deadline Deadline 2012-2014 continually individual individual Responsible organization/ Responsible organization/ Council of Lipkovo of Lipkovo Council mayor municipality, MCSW, self-government, Local NGOs
32 Minutes from held Minutes from meetings Survey questionnaire sheet of Fact events Veri cation means Veri cation means Veri cation ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND • • • Indicators Indicators Number of held meetings; requests, letters, Prepared petitions. Number of conducted surveys focus Number of organized groups common Number of organized events • • • • • Strategic priority Strategic priority Strategic 2.1. Lobbying to the central the central to 2.1. Lobbying the expand to government of the Social competences Unit within the CSW Work on the territory Kumanovo municipality of Lipkovo 3.1. Inclusion of the vulnerable concerned in the processes groups and planning of creation social for of programs of the local development community and their implementation Strategic aim 3. Establishing mechanisms to identify, consult with and include the poor and vulnerable in the decision-making processes and their implementation and their implementation in the decision-making with and include the poor processes and vulnerable consult identify, aim 3. Establishing mechanisms to Strategic Strategic aim 2: Expanding of the competences of the Center for Social Work Work Social for of the Center aim 2: Expanding of the competences Strategic Appendices:
Participant list Strategic Planning Struga 21-23.03.2011 Name and last name Institution Coordinator of the Local Partnership Group and col- Urim Selmani laborator in the Local Economic Development within the Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Kani Zenuni Advisor in the Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Alija Vadzit Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Head of the Human Resource Management Unit within Baskim Ademi Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Dzevdet Ramadani Advisor in Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Erkan Ari Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Lumnuse Avdili NGO Gule Iseni Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Dzabir Ramadani Employment Service Agency Fatmir Kasumi Lipkovo Public Communal Enterprise Pisa Head of the Inspection Unit within Lipkovo Self-Gov- Rukije Miftari ernment Unit Dije Ari Women’s rights NGO Action planning Lipkovo 11-12.05.2011 Name and last name Institution
Coordinator of the Local Partnership Group and col- AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION Urim Selmani laborator in Local Economic Development within the Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Kani Zenuni Advisor in Lipkovo Self-Government Unit 33 Alija Vadzit Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Head of the Human Resource Management Unit within Baskim Ademi the Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Erkan Ari Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Gule Iseni Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Dzabir Ramadani Employment Service Agency Fatmir Kasumi Lipkovo Public Communal Enterprise Pisa Head of the Inspection Unit within Lipkovo Self-Gov- Rukije Miftari ernment Unit Dije Ari Women’s rights NGO Head of the Financial A airs Unit within Lipkovo Self- Dzemal Memeti Government Unit Скендер Муслиу President of the Council of the Municipality Saip Ramadani Advisor in Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Bunjamin Memedi Advisor in Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Dzevdet Ramadani Advisor in Lipkovo Self-Government Unit Senior administrative accounting clerk in Lipkovo Self- Dzezmi Musliu Government Unit Annex 4 – AGENDA OF WORKSHOPS
STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP Preparation of a Strategy for Social Inclusion, Social Protection and Alleviating Poverty at a Local Level 21-23 March 2011 Hotel Drim – Struga
21.03.2011, Monday
19.00h Arrival of participants in Hotel Drim, until 19h at the latest accommodation in double rooms, according to previous arrangement
20:00- 20.30h O cial opening of the workshop, Congress Hall ‘Drim’
• Opening speech – Ms Petranka Miladinova, Project Manager at BIM-FV Skopje • Opening speech - Representative from MLSP • Opening speech- Mayors of the partnership municipalities
20:30-21:30h Cocktail/ dinner
22.03.2011, Tuesday
34 09:00- 10:30h Introduction Presentation, expectations, review of the agenda Brief analysis of the existing documents related to the social issues in the municipalities
ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND De nitions of terminology
10:30-11:00h Co ee break
11:00-12:30h Projection of an educational documentary lm on marginalized groups Discussing gender equality
12:30-14:00h Lunch
14:00-15:30h Identi cation of vulnerable groups De ning problems and needs ACTION PLANNING WORKSHOP
Preparation of a Strategy for Social Inclusion, Social Protection and Alleviating Poverty at Local level
AGENDA 4-6 May, 2011 Hotel Molika, Pelister
04.05.2011, Wednesday
17.00h Arrival and accommodation of participants
05.05.2011, Thursday
09:00-10;30h Introduction, expectations, review, draft-strategy and focus- groups results
10:30-11:00h Co ee break
11:00-12:30h Preparing strategic objectives
12:30-14:00h Lunch
14:00-15;30h De ning the strategic objectives STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, STRATEGY MUNICIPALITY OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO ALLEVIATION 15:30-16:00h Co ee break
16:00-17:30h De ning the main bearers of activities and obligations
20:30-21:30h Dinner 35
06.05.2011- Friday
09:00- 10:30h De ning indicators
10:30-11:00h Co ee break
11:00-12:30h Veri cation tools and budget
12;30-13:00h Co ee break
13:00-14:30h Plan for monitoring Evaluation and wrap-up
14:30-16:00h Lunch
16.00h Participants leaving 36 ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY IN LIPKOVO MUNICIPALITY STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND