The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Women's caucuses and alliances for sustainable development

A discussion circle on how women's caucuses and alliances can shape national policy agendas

 

NDI: Macedonian parties signed a code of conduct for free and fair parliamentary elections in June 2011

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2011-05-26 13:27

Summary: 

NDI organized a public signing ceremony to launch a code of conduct for snap parliamentary elections on June 5. Though not legally binding, the document was signed by leaders of 38 political parties who pledged to respect all politicians’ freedom to campaign. The president of the national assembly, the president of the state electoral commission, representatives from civil society and heads of foreign missions attended the ceremony, which received wide coverage in the media.

The code calls for parties to respect the electoral law and foster a tolerant campaign atmosphere free of violent or intimidating rhetoric, fraud, bribery and proxy voting with the goal of encouraging a fair,inclusive, peaceful, transparent and accountable election process.

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To read the complete article please visit www.ndi.org


Macedonia: Parliamentarian elections

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2011-05-05 01:10
2011-06-05
2011-06-05
Europe/Vienna
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Country: 
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Description: 

In June 5 Macedonia will be holding Parliamentary elections.

At stake in this election:

  • 120 seats in the Assembly (Sobranie)

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: President Gjorge IVANOV
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI
  • Assembly: Macedonia has a unicameral Assembly (Sobranie) with 120 seats.

Description of electoral system:

  • The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
  • The Prime Minister is elected by parliament.
  • In the Assembly (Sobranie) 120 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.***

*** The country is divided in 6 electoral districts,with a district magnitude of 20 members. No legal threshold is required for a party to enter the parliament. Votes are tabulated using the D'Hondt formula. At least 30 percent of the candidates on each party list must be of different gender

For more information, please visit IFES Election Guide's Macedonia page.

To share your views on the role and experiences of women throughout this election process, please use the comment section below.  


Macedonia:Gender barriers eroding in business world

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2011-04-27 08:56

Summary: 

Most of Macedonia's top companies are managed by men, but women are increasingly making inroads in the world of what they term "elite" business. Macedonia passed a Law on Gender Equality and legal provisions for greater involvement of women in politics, yet there is not a single woman mayor. Women share the notion that nothing can be improved on paper unless specific entrepreneurial initiatives are undertaken.

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To read the complete article please visit the SETimes. com


Consolidated Response on the Prevention of Family Voting

This consolidated response includes descriptions of family and proxy voting and provides recommendations on how to eliminate family voting through holding trainings and public awareness campaigns, strengthening legislative frameworks, and sensitizing election commissioners and observers on issues faced by women.

Expert Opinion: Empowering Women Voters in Macedonia

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2009-06-25 12:26
The problem of family voting in Macedonia is very big especially in rural areas and in minorities with stronger patriarchal traditions such as Albanians, Roma and Turks.GTF made a lot of efforts to c

KARAT Coalition

bsalimova's picture
KARAT is a regional coalition that works to ensure gender equality in the CEE/CIS countries, monitors the implementation of international agreements and lobbies for the needs and concerns of women in the region at all levels of decision-making fora.

Kosovo’s Women MPs Exchange Ideas And Discuss Challenges With Macedonian Peers

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2007-08-02 11:11

Summary: 

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) has worked in Kosovo since 1999 to promote sustainable, democratic governing institutions in the wake of armed, inter-ethnic conflict. Now, after a lengthy and contentious status resolution process, a determination on Kosovo’s future status is expected this year or early in 2008.

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Kosovo Success Story At this critical juncture in the region’s democratic development, increasing the participation and political clout of women in Kosovar political bodies and governmental institutions has emerged as a priority for NDI’s Kosovo program. While one third of the seats in the Assembly of Kosovo are legally reserved for women, women members of parliament (MPs) have not historically enjoyed a high level of influence or engagement in the Assembly. Furthermore, the Assembly lacks a cohesive body that examines issues of concern to women and makes substantive policy recommendations to address those issues. To offer remedies to some of these challenges and facilitate regional cooperation, the Institute, with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recently sponsored a trip for members of the informal group of women parliamentarians (IGWP) within the Assembly of Kosovo to visit with their peers in the women’s parliamentary club of the Assembly of Macedonia. The gathering presented an opportunity for women from the two parliaments to exchange their experiences, forge connections, and offer one another practical advice on various issues confronting women legislators. Kosovo Success Story Established in 2005, the IGWP has recently tackled a diverse array of issues, with members authoring or adapting legislation pertaining to workplace relations, women’s and children’s health, domestic violence, and election law. In this respect, the Macedonian women’s parliamentary club was an especially apt host, as it has lately made marked strides toward achieving more equitable gender representation in the nation’s legislature, and has successfully advocated for issues including mandatory maternity leave and budgetary allocations for the fight against domestic violence. Furthermore, Macedonian electoral practice provides an exemplary model for promoting increased women’s representation on candidate lists. At a working lunch with women from both clubs, the Kosovar women enjoyed an opportunity to interact with their Macedonian counterparts on a more informal setting, addressing issues of personal interest and exchanging information on their respective groups’ structure and functions, goals, and visions for the future. The Kosovar women received valuable insight into the role that the Macedonian club plays as a conduit for the nation’s public institutions, decision-making bodies, and advocacy groups, with the hosting delegation asserting that its objectives were met through the creation of joint strategies and through the continuous support and cooperation of various associations representing women’s interests. Over the course of the day’s events, the Kosovar women also met with the Macedonian Committee on Equal Opportunities to discuss strategies for raising breast cancer awareness. The day’s activities received national media coverage in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages and at the event’s culmination, NDI representatives expressed their gratitude to the Women’s Parliamentarian Club for their warm welcome. As Kosovo moves toward and beyond a status determination, the IGWP aims to become an integral part of the region’s political institutions, and to establish a more representative legislature by compelling the Assembly to honor its pledges of equal opportunity for men and women. NDI will maintain its assistance to the informal group of women MPs and will work to identify further opportunities for the group to bolster the influence and engagement of women in Kosovo’s political processes. Now more than ever, it is of paramount importance that women be afforded a seat at the table as the Assembly of Kosovo asserts itself as a modern and inclusive institution—especially as the region readies itself for the political responsibilities and practical ramifications of greater autonomy.

Service and Accountability: Representing The People

This guidebook describes the roles and responsibilities of members of parliament highlighting their roles as legislators, parliamentary committee members, and public servants. It includes examples and references to the practices used in the Republic of Macedonia. The guidebook also discusses the keys to being a successful member of parliament, including strategies to create strong relationships with the media and constituents.

Roundtable Discussion On Analyzing Legislation With A Gender Perspective

This training material describes the importance of gender sensitivity in lawmaking, monitoring of government’s activities, working in parliamentary committees, and building relationships with constituents. It also encourages looking beyond the numbers in gender representation.