Friday, 24 November 2017
Address of the president Xhaferi at the International Event “16 Days Activism against Gender based Violence”
Ladies and gentlemen,
Your Excellences,
Distinguished colleagues,
„All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. “.
This is the first Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ratified on 10 December 1948 by the United Nations. Since then this day is marked as a Day of Human Rights and Freedoms. The second Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights continues: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” The universality and the wide scope of the human rights and freedoms are clearly defined by these two articles. Also, this clearly demonstrates that that the gender equality is part of the set of human rights and freedoms, and since 24 November 1991, 24 November is the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence and those days are symbolically marked with recognisable orange colour, and finalize on 10 December, the Day of Human Rights.
I recall that last year, the Kale Fortress was symbolically coloured in orange, while this year the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia will bear this colour. This will be a strong message, to us, the Deputies, as well as to the executive governance, the NGO Sector as well as all relevant entities that: Gender equality is a dynamic category that should be followed and upgraded. In the same as entities, we are obliged to an active approach in the fight against any kind of violence over women, starting from domestic violence, up to the international human trafficking, above all of women and girls who most often are victims of sexual slavery. This active approach we must not be limited on 16 days only, the actions must be continuous, until they become a daily habit and care for this group of people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished friends,
I shall not speak of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, nor the set of laws that formally stipulate the gender equality, as well as the fight against gender based violence. But, as I have said, this dynamic category demands constant monitoring, research and certainly amendments of the existing legislative solutions or 
adoption of new laws. I believe that the Assembly can have a particularly significant role in this context, seizing all mechanisms provided by the Constitution, laws and the Rules of Procedure. Here I refer to the public debates, oversight debates, up to initiation of legislative procedures for amendments of the laws and adoption of new laws for these issues. I shall refer to the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Freedoms and Rights, Women Parliamentarians’ Club, the Interparty Lobby Group and others who selflessly contribute to this urgent issue. In the same time, I have to remind, though not proudly, that we are still, if I may say, a male society that witnesses prejudice and stereotypes when the gender equality is in question. We are still a society where the family and other kinds of violence are present; unfortunately victimising women and girls. In this engagement, if you wish, battle for achieving of one of the fundamental rights and freedoms, the role of the NGO Sector is equally significant, followed by the education system, as well as scientific branches such as the social psychology, social anthropology etc, 
the Ombudsman as well as the great role of the media in achieving the gender equality, unveiling the negative occurrences victimizing women and girls, thus subjecting them to sanctions.
In regard with these 16 days of activities marked by the orange colour, I believe that this is a good opportunity for all of us to evaluate what we have done in a year, what we have achieved and what are the current developments here and abroad, and what are our plans for the future. I believe that all of us, with joint efforts, can do plenty, especially in the fight against any kind of violence over women and young girls.
This is our human and civilization value and obligation, and the victims, seen from wider humane context are our mothers, sisters or daughters who can always rely on us.
Thank you.