Following the formation of the new government, the Platform for Gender Equality expresses serious concern regarding the insufficient involvement of women at all levels of management.
Despite the significant milestone of electing the country’s first female President—a commendable achievement that the Platform welcomes—the momentum for the broad inclusion of women in high positions of influence and decision-making appears to have stalled.
Disturbingly, the exclusion of women from executive power is strongly evident in the newly formed government. The previous administration had a modest 25% representation of women in ministerial roles (5 out of 16 ministries). However, this number has now halved, with only 3 women holding ministerial positions out of a total of 24—equating to just 13%. This regression is particularly alarming in light of the initiative by the Commission for Equal Opportunities at the Assembly of North Macedonia in 2023, which aimed to introduce changes to the electoral code. This initiative proposed adjustments to existing quotas for representative positions, advocating for a 50-50 approach to ensure 50% participation of women in local government councils and the assembly. Additionally, it sought to implement quotas for executive and decision-making positions, with 30% for mayors and 40% for ministerial roles
The introduction of quotas in 2002 significantly improved the representation of women over the years; however, the benefits have not extended to positions not regulated by quotas, indicating persistent systemic challenges for women in politics. The composition of the current government reflects a concerning decline in the political participation of women, signaling a regression in the pursuit of gender equality in politics.
Research findings indicate that one of the main reasons for the insufficient participation of women in politics is the lack of political will and inadequate support from political parties for women’s involvement in processes that imply the power of the individual decision making. These obstacles arise from entrenched gender stereotypes and the reluctance to distribute decision-making power fairly. Such resistance is harmful not only to women but also to society as a whole, as it hinders the resolution of issues critical to improving the quality of life for at least half of the population.
It is essential to emphasize that North Macedonia can take pride in having a higher percentage of highly educated women compared to men. Therefore, we must highlight that the issue of insufficient political participation is not due to a lack of ambition or educational qualifications among women politicians. Instead, they face systemic barriers and ongoing discouragement from the professional sphere, as well as from both public and private environments, which stifles their political engagement.
The Platform for Gender Equality remains an ally of women in politics. We call for immediate action to remove barriers to the inclusion of women in politics and to ensure equal and fair representation at all levels of government. Achieving true gender equality is not only a matter of fairness but also a necessary precondition for the democratic and social progress of North Macedonia.
