WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA STUDY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PAPERS Project: Western Balkans Democracy Initiative Publisher: Foundation for Democracy of Westminster, North Macedonia About Publisher: Damir Neziri, Country Representative Part One - Study Researchers: Katerina Kolozova, Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities - Skopje (ISSH-S) Marija Savovska, Akcija Zdruzenska Research Team: Ana Blazheva, Viktoria Borovska, Suzana Filevska Grozdanovska, Sonja Hadzi Nikolov Part Two - Scientific Research Papers’ Editors: Nenad Markovikj, Dona Kosturanova, Damir Neziri Authors: Misho Dokmanovikj Jovana Gjorgjiovska Eva Jovanova Ana Mukoska Blagica Petrova Marija Topuzovska Latkovikj Graphic Editing: Futura Year of Release: 2019 Skopje, October 2019 The preparation of this analysis is supported by the Western Balkans Democracy Initiative, a program of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. The content of this analysis does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy or the British Government. FOREWORD This publication deals with the ‘Political Participation of Women in North Macedonia’ and thus combines an in-depth study which provides an overview of the general situation of this problem in the country with five very specific research papers, each exploring a different aspect of the political participation. The selected multi-point approach provides a comprehensive and complete insight into this very important and complex issue. The tendency in modern democracies is to ensure that all groups in society are effectively represented and able to participate actively in policy-making and decision-making processes. The participation and inclusion of different groups should result in an appropriate presentation of their needs and attitudes. But is it really so? Do all groups, even when they constitute 50% of the population, in reality, have an equal opportunity for effective participation? This study and the research papers included in the publication explore the participation of women in various aspects of ‘political’ life in North Macedonia. By observing their participation in political parties, state institutions and decision-making bodies as well as in the governing bodies of the business sector and the academia, the authors attempt to present the current state of affairs on this issue. Moreover, they go a step further and try to identify factors that contribute to the greater participation or prevent such participation of women in North Macedonia. By understanding the factors that enable positive deviators to emerge in society, the authors pave the way for numerous directions leading to increased political participation of women in the future. The intent is to present this evidence to a variety of factors, the general public, the media, and state and non-state stakeholders. We hope that the evidence will be used by a broad community that could then present policies on how to solve the specific problem. We likewise hope that the study will initiate a broader discussion on the topic of women’s political participation in North Macedonia. 6 The study was commissioned by the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) and Akcija Zdruzenska, two of the country’s most prominent institutions dealing with women and gender issues, and was supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD). The research papers are the result of the intense work of Misho Dokmanovikj, Jovana Gjorgjiovska, Ana Mukoska, Eva Jovanova, Blagica Petrova and Marija Topuzovska Latkovikj. The Foundation would like to thank the authors for their dedication in preparing this document and to the British Government for their support in completing the study. The WFD is a UK public body dedicated to supporting democracy around the world. In August 2018, the WFD launched a new three-year Western Balkans Regional Initiative entitled ‘Western Balkans Democracy Initiative’. The initiative is funded by the British Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund. Damir Neziri, WFD Country Representative 7 CONTENTS I. WOMEN’s POLITICAL PARTICipATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA ...................................................................................................... 9 II. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PAPERS ON THE POLITICAL PARTICipATION OF WOMEN ...........................................................................................48 8 I WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA ReSeaRcheRS ReSeaRch Team Katerina Kolozova SONJA HADZI NIKOLOV MARIJA Savevska SUZANA FILEVSKA GROZDANOVSKA ANA Blazheva Viktorija BOROVSKA CONTENTS STUDY: WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICipATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA .......................................................................................................... 11 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 11 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT AND THE MOVEMENT FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE IN AREAS OF GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES (IN THE LAST 2 DECADES) ....................................... 13 LINKS BETWEEN ACTIVISM AND KNOWLEDGE............................................................ 13 FEMINISM AND GENDER STUDIES IN THE MACEDONIAN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS: ACTIVIST AND PARACADEMIC BATTLE FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONALISM .............................................................. 15 INSTITUTIONALISATION OF GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES.................................. 16 GRADUATE DECLINE OF ACTIVISM AND THEORY IN THE LAST DECADE .................................................................................................... 17 CURRENT SITUATION OF WOMEN’S ACCESS TO POSITIONS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ............................................................................................... 18 INSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR POLITICAL/PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ............................................................................. 21 FORMAL STRUCTURES AND RULES ............................................................................. 21 THE UNREALISED AMBITIONS OF THE GENDER EQUALITY POLICY IN RNM .................................................................... 23 ANALYSIS OF THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE PUBLIC LIFE AND POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING .............................................................................27 SOCIO-CULTURAL PRECONDITIONS FOR LOW PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE AND POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING .............................. 27 INTERSECTIONAL FACTORS ........................................................................................ 31 POLITICAL FACTORS ....................................................................................................34 CASE STUDY/SUCCESS STORY .............................................................................................37 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................40 ON INFORMAL PRACTICES AND SUITABLE SOLUTIONS ............................................. 41 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING CONSIDERATIONS FOR ESSENTIAL POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN .................................................. 42 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................45 10 STUDY: WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA INTrodUCTION Feminist commitments to women’s political participation are one of the most important areas of impact for gender equality and include equality in terms of creating conditions and ensuring women’s and men’s participation in policy-making and implementation processes. The starting point is the existing inequality and, hence, the need for constant awareness and continued commitment to meet all the factors affecting the promotion of women’s political participation at all levels of social functioning. These factors shape social, economic, educational, health, cultural and all other aspects of living, create conditions and enable (/prevent) women’s participation in political processes and policy-making. The interception of systemic factors that enable(/prevent) women’s political participation implies gender mainstreaming at all levels of education and educational content, as well as additional positive measures in encouraging programs addressing these issues and affirmative action for the inclusion of women in fields where they are absent, such as the exact or natural sciences (STEM).1 On the other hand, in addition to knowledge and awareness- raising through educational processes, strengthening women’s political participation implies empowering them through experiential and direct involvement in decision-making processes at all levels - in the family, school, local community, etc. Feminist efforts are linked to democratic principles and mechanisms of governance through equal opportunities and participation, and together they provide effective opportunities for promoting gender equality. The process of democratising society through the introduction of participatory decision-making mechanisms at all levels of governance are important to be related to gender equality commitments. Namely, the mechanisms for democratic participation alone do not allow equal participation of women and men due to the different systemic influences and factors that contribute to the unequal inclusion and