Available and Confidential Services Create a Strong Basis for Changes in Pelagonija

“I have suffered domestic violence for years, but I didn’t know where to go. I had no financial means to pay a lawyer and I had no support from my family. Via the project ‘Her Voice – Her Power’, I have received free legal aid. It helped me understand that I have the rights and that I don’t have to be a victim until the end of my life. Thanks to the team, I have started a procedure for protection. Now I am stronger and more secure in myself. This project has changes my life”, says a 32-year old woman from the municipality of Dolneni.

The lack of information and access to services have influenced the quality of life of the population in the Pelagonija region. The girls from the rural areas seldom spoke about their anxiety or depression and when they would find the courage to do so, they had no place to ask for confidential psycho-social help. In order to fill in these gaps, the Center for Civic Initiatives – Prilep, together with the Association for Legal Education and Transparency PET STATION and the Multi-ethnic Association for All Ages from Crnilishte, Dolneni started the project “Her Voice – Her Power: Empowering the Marginalised Women and Girls in Pelagonija” in 2024, supported by the Swiss Government via Civica Mobilitas.

“Women ask for help on cases related to domestic violence and discrimination at workplace more and more frequently. Many of the beneficiaries are from rural areas in the Pelagonija region, most often women with low education level, unemployed or economically dependent. They face difficulties that have been kept silent for a longer time due to fear, lack of information or isolation”, says Talija Petreska, the legal advisor at the project.

Although the project is mostly intended for women, it is not solely reserved for them. “As a single father, I have faced many difficulties – especially administrative obstacles in fulfilling the right to health security for my child. I didn’t know where to go, they were returning my documents multiple times. Then I found out about the project and I received free legal aid. The lawyer helped me prepare the necessary documentation. Thanks to this support, my child now has a regular access to health care”, a 48-year old single father from Prilep told about his experience.

In the field, there are teams made of a psychologists, lawyer and psychiatrist, offering free advice to the citizens of the municipalities of Prilep, Bitola, Krivogashtani, Dolneni, Mogila and Novaci.

“As an advisor for psychosocial support, I have a complex role that integrates all aspects of psychosocial support. We deal with each case with high ethics, confidentiality and cultural sensitivity. The most challenging part of this work is the emotional depth of each story and the need that each client is treated as a unique person with his/her own voice, needs and right to improving one’s mental health and empowering”, says Maja Petancheska, advisor for psychosocial support.

From September 2024 to April 2025, the teams have provided 33 services for psychosocial support, mostly for girls and women in Prilep and Dolneni.

“The promotors visit even the most secluded villages”, explains T.C., a gender promotor at the municipality of Prilep. “The participation at the School on Gender Equality was an extraordinary experience for me – not only from the aspect of knowledge, but also from the aspect of personal growth. It has helped me understand the structural inequalities that women and girls face, recognise gender stereotypes and actively advocate for equality and justice in my community. Now I have the knowledge, tools and motivation to contribute to an inclusive and just society where every voice is important – especially the voice of women”, he adds.

The institutions in Prilep, Bitola, Krivogashtani, Dolneni, Mogila and Novaci have accepted the idea for cooperation and actively participate in the promotion and implementation of the activities. At CCI they say that they are satisfied with the implementation of the project and confidence of the community and that the continuous communication and free, confidential services create a strong basis for changes.

The gender promotors, such as T.C. from Prilep and M.I. from Dolneni organize interactive sessions and field activities on daily basis. “As a gender promotor, my role is to be a bridge between the communities and beneficiaries by raising the awareness on gender equality, sharing information in a language and way understandable for the community, as well as informing about the available services. By direct communication in the field, we have an insight into the real needs and challenges, but also an insight into the capacity and potential that the women have when they are given support. I work so that women are not only beneficiaries of services, but also active stakeholders in the decision-making processes by local organizing”, explains C. Dz., a promotor for the Roma community.

A total of 20 volunteers were involved in the School on Gender Equality, and 10 of them have become gender promotors and they started to be active in the field. After the end of the project activities, they will continue to implement the obtained knowledge and capacities by acting in their communities as civic activists.

While the media campaign “Equality Caravan” and the lectures on prevention and reproductive health continue to gather the citizens at public events, “Her Voice – Her Power” has already become a sensitive pulse of Pelagonija with an established confidence, solidarity and specific results for those that need it the most. In this way, we witness a movement that reclaims the voice and self-confidence to those that have been marginalized for long time, with a clear goal for lasting gender equality and just society in Pelagonija. A movement that we should really be proud of as it has been happening already.